This book drew me in from beginning to end. I read the entire trilogy and enjoyed all of them. Highly recommended for high school. The titles are 1/ Shattered Dreams; 2/ Broken Illusions; 3/ Fragile Darkness.

FROM AMAZON: It's almost Mardi Gras, but for 16 year-old psychic Trinity Monsour this is no time for celebration. Another girl is missing. Tormented by visions she doesn't understand―of an empty street lined by crumbling old buildings, a terrified voice warning her to be careful, and a body lying motionless in the grass, Trinity embarks upon a dark odyssey she could never have imagined.

She'll stop at nothing to better understand her abilities, convinced that doing so is the only way she can make sure the terrifying images she sees never actually happen. But it seems everyone wants to stop her. Her aunt is worried Trinity might discover secrets best left in the past. Her best friend, Victoria, is afraid Trinity is slipping away, her boyfriend, Chase, fears she's taking too many chances, and the lead detective will barely let her out of his sight. Only one person stands by her side, and in doing so, he slips deeper and deeper into her heart and her dreams―blurring the lines of reality and illusion. When the dust settles, one of them will be dead. ( )

Broken Illusions by Ellie James re-introduces us to young psychic Tinity Monsour, who lives a life filled with visions of those who have gone missing and those it may be too late to save. At her side is her Aunt Sage, boyfriend Chase, best friend Victoria, and a mysterious young man named Dylan whose power may rival her own. Haunted by dreams that leave her questioning both her present and her past, Trinity sets out to understand the ability that has led her down terrifying paths in an attempt to stop her darkest visions from becoming reality.

The "Midnight Dragonfly" series has a darker tone than most YA paranormals I read. James has placed her characters in New Orléans, a place rife with illusion. The feel of a city decaying from age and natural disasters seeps through the pages, along with the mysteries that haunt the area. It's a place where a Ouija board can make you believe you are not alone in the room, and serial killers hide in plain sight. In the midst of it all is Trinity, a young girl whose visions have caught the eye of police detective LaSalle who believes her ability can lead him to the predators who roam the streets.

Trinity is not your typical teenage heroine; she is tortured by her visions and her inability to decipher them. Driven by the need to understand her dreams and to try to stop them from becoming reality, she is not a relaxed or happy character. In fact, it is very difficult for her to picture a rosy future since her past and present are pretty dark. Despite this, I like Trinity very much. She is gutsy and determined to help those who are in trouble, but can also be a little too impulsive and impatient. She always seems stressed by the visions she receives and I find myself straining along with her to unravel what she has seen. Suspense and mystery are the main focus here, but romance still plays a part as Trinity tries to plan a happy future with Chase while being drawn to the elusive Dylan.

She has support from her Aunt Sage and best friend Victoria. Victoria is intrigued by Trinity's ability and accepts her as she is. With no ability of her own, she is unaware of the dangers that can be unleashed when toying with the supernatural. When things go wrong, though, she doesn't run but tries to help in any way she can. Aunt Sage, meanwhile, wants desperately for Trinity to have a happier life than her mother did. Trinity's mother Rachel, who was also plagued by visions, was killed with Trinity's father in a house fire when Trinity was very young, and in Broken Illusions the memories of this event start making themselves known. Not only is Trinity trying to figure out who is toying with her in the present, she has to deal with the memories of her past that have been locked deep inside her mind. When Trinity goes against her aunt's wishes and opens doors Sage would prefer she keep closed, a lot of anger and hurt is unleashed that could have unforeseen consequences.

LaSalle steps up his presence in this installment. Since he is dating Sage, he is around more often and able to notice when Trinity is shaken by new visions. Trying to work with her to find a tarot card reader who has gone missing, he follows up any lead Trinity gives him. Always pressing her for more details, there are moments when it seems like he is more interested in her ability than the person behind it.

Unfortunately, one of the people who should be supporting her, Chase, has trust issues that sometimes have him backing away from Trinity when she needs him the most. He is also torn by an obligation to his ex-girlfriend Jessica, who has never recovered from the events in book one Shattered Dreams. To be fair to his character, though, Trinity herself is torn by her attraction to Dylan and finds herself turning to him instead of Chase whenever things take a dangerous turn. Dylan remains a pretty mysterious character in Broken Illusions, but he continues to fascinate. He and Chase are like two sides of a coin - Chase is facing up into the light with everyday dreams of playing football, going to the beach and getting into college, while Dylan is the darker side with paranormal abilities of his own, a somber demeanor and the knowledge that a higher education is not in his future because he is needed elsewhere. Trinity's ties to both boys are tested, until fate takes the decision out of her hands.

Skimming is not an option with this series. If you are not paying attention, you can find yourself confused by what is happening. Just like in any good mystery concentration is key, so it helps that James writes in a manner that catches you up in the events playing out on the page and grips you from one scene to the next. Everything twists and turns between reality and dreams. Due to this intricacy, I find I have to be in the appropriate mood to read this series. I found myself distracted by outside events in my life while I read this book, so there were points where I lost my way and needed to re-read parts to get back on track. When I was back on track, however, there was a nice flow to the story with moments of tension and time to relax in between. It all built up to an exciting confrontation with the (unexpected) villain and a heartbreaking finale.

I really enjoy the "Midnight Dragonfly" series by Ellie James, especially 16-year-old heroine Trinity Monsour. Visited by dreams of missing persons and other victims, Trinity tries desperately to unravel the visions before it is too late. With intricate twists and turns Broken Illusions is a YA paranormal that takes the reader on a journey through dreams that reveals not everything - or everyone - is what they seem. ( )