Customer Reviews

Shattered Souls (Zane Presents)

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

They say birds of a feather flock together;in Dywane D. Birch's debut
novel, you will meet four friends with shattered souls. In the
opening chapter we are introduced to Britton, taking a break from
life in the Dominican Republic; Damascus the gyrating, dancing gigolo
who does more than his share of bed hopping; Indera the risk taker
who owns a successful beauty salon and loves giving the fellas
attitude; lastly, Chyna who is educated, married and the mother of
four and living the life or is she? From the outside, all four of
these adults appear to be living the life, but if we took the time to
peel away some of the layers, would we find happiness or lost souls?

It is very rare that I can read a book with four main characters and
not lose focus. Dywane D. Birch did an excellent job of giving the
reader exactly what we needed to get to know the characters and feel
their abuse and pain. Each of them was abused and as I read their
story, I cried. I cried for their pain and cried in prayer that they
would survive. My only issue with the book was the font, it could've
been one point larger. This book made me angry at the injustices in
this world against children. Everyone needs to read this eye-opening novel, and I look forward to further works by this author.

Missy

APOOO BookClub

I purchased this book expecting to find a the oh-so familiar "Friends" storyline that I've read too many times before. NOT SO! SHATTERED SOULS IS A PAGE TURNER! Britton, Indera, Damascus and Chyna are the friends WE know or wish WE knew. This book speaks a language true to the hearts of those who love as hard as they work as hard as they party! As each character blossoms throughout the book, you can't help but feel and understand their underlying pain. The author truly creates an oxymoron of shallow and deep - Through these characters he shows how the superficial things in life are just a facade, temporarily masking the hurt until one learns to truly let love in again. This book will leave you wanting more. I can smell a Trilogy in the making, but I'll settle for one sequel if Mr. Birch writes it soon enough. A must read!

Shattered Souls is an easy and exciting book to read. It touches all your emotions. The story line and details keep you interested and not wanting to put the book down. The characters and storyline are well developed. It is a great read for both males and females.

This is a story of four friends who have had their own personal struggles, but they are still able to survive. They deal with their issues and try to accept their past. They are able to express their opinions and feelings and still remain friends. This book gives you an idea of how true friendship really can be.

I would and I did recommend it to our book club. This was a really good book.

Imani Sister: Mary

Shattered Souls is a really fun book with 4 really great characters: Britton, Indera, Damascus, and Chyna. I thought that Indera and Damascus had the most fun in the book and they were the characters who I found, at times, to cause me to burst out laughing from their comments and situations. This was an excellent story that starts off kind of on the superficial side but, by the end of the book, you get to much better understand why each character behaves the way he or she does.[...]Excellent story by newcomer Dywane Birch. I was told, by the author himself, that there IS a sequel in the works so fans of this book, like myself, should look forward to the return of these wonderful characters.

Check it out! Shattered Souls is a page-turning novel that I finished in two days! On the surface, the four main characters appear to be either ruthless sex-fiends, a passive beauty or a peer counselor who has answers for everyone but himself. But soon the novels uncovers the core of the characters and then you understand why they have become what they are. The "monsters" that they have created within themselves begin to churn deep in their souls, causing them to re-evaluate their actions so that they can move on in life. One by one, they all answer to themselves for their past mistakes and find peace.

Britton Landers runs away from his problems to the Dominican Republic but finally decides to face his past ghosts from childhood that made him begin to run in the first place. Indera Fleet, my girl because she gave cheating men what they deserved, is true and real to everyone but somehow she lied and degraded herself with her vengeful nature. Now, I gotta admit, she gave some people what they deserved but she took it to the extreme. We all know a Damascus Miles (well maybe some of us) but this brother finally realizes why he had to have one woman coming in and another going out the back door. Chyna Littles character bored me until she got with "the real" and stepped up to her ungrateful, psychotic daughter only after her daughter scratched the surface of a festering wound within her by calling her white.

Definitely a must-read if you enjoy racy, suspenseful novels that have you laughing at one moment and surprised and disgusted the next. -NM

I recently read Shattered Souls for the second time. I found it sad, funny, and Hot Hot Hot. All I could think about is that a movie must be made based on Shattered Souls ASAP, the characters are outrageous yet real.

This is adult reading at it's finest, and I recommend it to everyone.

I look forward to reading more from this new young author Dywane D. Birch

Shattered Souls is not only a book that should be read, it is a book that MUST be read. I say that simply because the author touches upon such powerful situations affecting today's society. He shows us that who we become as adults is directly related to what happens to us during our childhood. He does it in an entertaining way instead of a "preachy" way and his writing is extremely smooth and entertaining. The four main characters in the book all have emotional baggage left over from their childhoods and it shows in every action they make. Dwayne Birch is destined to become one of the best known authors on the literary scene today. If you have not read this book, what are you waiting for?

This was a book that I've heard about for a while but never got around to reading until now. I really enjoyed this book even though it made my head hurt and my heart ache. My head hurt `cause these characters had MAJOR DRAMA!! I could not turn the page without something jumping out and punching me in my face! Would it never end? Now, that's not a bad thing but rather a drama thing. Damascus was my favorite because this brotha' was off the hook!

He loved the ladies and he was FUN.EEE!!! Chyna got on my last nerve because I don't like doormats and she was like the Queen B. of doormats! I couldn't believe some of the mess that she let her daughter get away with and then made more excuses for her than a crack head in rehab! Indy was too preachy and too hypocritical, and Britton was... well... I didn't really get him. The story revolved around these 4 friends and their struggles in life. You know that they all went through some sort of abuse as children but you don't know exactly what.

Dywane takes a unique approach in waiting until the last few chapters to tell you about the childhood horrors that helped shaped the adults they are now. Talk about dropping a bomb and getting slapped like Robin Givens! The ending of the book is pretty rough and raw which says A LOT given that the entire book is pretty graphic and in-your-face! Dywane has a Master's degree in Psychology and it shows its face at times. The only times this book comes to a crawl is when he starts to tell us the statistics and numbers of certain groups during certain times. His book, his preference but it did really throw a King-Kong sized monkey wrench in this otherwise wonderful book.

From the begining you are greated by sassy Indera, one of the many characters you will grow to love and hate in this book. Also, for your reading pleasure, are the lives of Damascus -aka- T Bone, Chyna, and Britton. This book makes you laugh, cry, talk out loud, and call someone tor ead them a scene. Never has there been a book written on this level with such depth. I had a hard time getting anything done because I couldn't put the book down. It touched on real life, and on so many scenario's and situations that people are living every day. I have a copy of the sequel now and will be starting it this weekend. Dwayne, keep up the good work.

Shattered Souls is a must read. Mr. Birch did a great job writing this novel it's all to real. It touches the heart when you see so many lives that are affected by parents mistakes. A real reader can read this book in one day, it's a page turner for sure. The characters in this novel are all to real, I'm sure we all know or know of characters like this. When I purchased this book I read the back cover and knew it was a must-have.
I like the way Mr. Birch pointed out the true value of friendship. The characters had a very unique friendship that also helped them conquer their fears. I can go on and on about this novel but all I can say is buy the book today. I already recommended this book to several people. I'm already waiting for the next book by Mr. Birch.