2.5⭐️

If you like books that info dump for more than 10% of the beginning of the book & no real talked of the characters, then you will enjoy this book. Unfortunately for me, it left me bored & not engaged with the book. I need to have equal parts information & building the story to catch my attention. It just lacked depth & just felt like I was being told things instead of living in the story.

While there was a lot of information being thrown out, nothing really made sense. Which I’m sure some of it would have made sense if I didn’t decided to DNF the book. It just felt like the book was giving so much information about the magic that it could have used a dedicated magic chart. But from what I was seeing from others, there are a lot of plot holes.

In the defense of the book, maybe it was just not the right time for me to be reading it. So I may eventually give it another chance but nothing was pulling me in.

Thank you NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book review 📚
Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan
⭐⭐⭐

This is a tricky one. There were some aspects that were absolutely amazing and it really could amount to something. But there was just to much going on! Trying to enjoy a read should not be this complex.

I think the book would have been an easy 5 star if it wasn’t so “messy” and confusing. There is definitely the potential there but it requires some work going forward

Thanks so much for the arc!!!

I dont even know how to begin but it was such an epic journey. Kate really did a brilliant job with the world building and the twists and turns! I could not put it down .....

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-arc!

Ended up dnf'ing.

The lack of organization just threw me off and I didn't find myself connecting to the world, magic system, or characters.

I will try to look into the author's other work, since this is the first thing I read from them, but this just wasn't the book for me.

Hmm this didn't quite work for me. A quick read and I did enjoy the writing style, but I wouldn't liken it to Six of Crows. The magic system which was intriguing was also overly complex, not very well explained and full of holes. The fmc was irritating, selfish and self absorbed. The found fam didn't get enough detail or depth and these were the guys I was most interested in. The 'baddies' were pretty none existent which was weird. The heist was a small part of the story. Kind of feel like it needed to be longer, less of the fmc, more of everything else. And sapphic, I wish it had gone that route which felt more realistic and had so much more tension than the 'romance' did get.
I didn't hate it though and will definitely check out more from this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodderscape for the arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

A queernormative cast of chaotic individuals all coming together to pull off a heist using their specific magical abilities. What could go wrong?

A group of magic-using individuals plan to pull off a heist in the midst of a city on the brink of collapse as ideologies clash and tensions rise between the Church and the Council of Isitar, the city in which the story takes place. Those that use magic (Shades) are outlawed in the Church districts, crime has arisen, and for Cem, our protagonist, there exists opportunities to make the money she needs from crime to support her ill mother. As a Hue, the child of a Shade and “regular” person, Cemmy’s existence puts her in danger. And when a job goes wrong and she’s captured by an antagonist looking to steal something valuable, Cem’s need for money and the threat to her and her friends’ lives drives her to accept.

This was an interesting premise, a complex world which felt believable and also was influenced by a topical and resonant class debate between full-blooded Shades and half-blooded Hues. The magic system felt fresh, something I’d not necessarily read about which is always a feat in fantasy! It was very complex at the beginning, and could have benefitted from a glossary to help readers get to grips with all the weaknesses and rules that were followed. However, I felt that the magic system itself had tangible risk, it was a dangerous and complex power not to be entered into or used lightly, which again gives the plot higher stakes, and lends an element of believability to the narrative. Too often protagonists and antagonists don’t have limitations on their reserves of magic, so it’s always good to see a system that has drawbacks, that can - and does - hurt those who use it. Plus, it’s refreshing to see an antagonist that does not have the power needed to accomplish the goal, which again makes the system more believable.

I felt that the characters were mostly fun, some more engaging than others. Chase specifically was a favourite of mine given his complexity! I enjoyed the dynamic that he brought in, and the way that you’re asking questions about his backstory and motives from the moment you meet him. I enjoyed the interactions between Cem and Chase. I felt that Cem was a good lead for this story, given the trauma that she’s carrying, the guilt of her involvement with a fatal accident that carries over to her use of magic and her day to day life, and the responsibility she feels to her mother and the weight that places on her, driving her forward into the dangerous plot presented to her. She’s complex and a bit chaotic, and I like that in my FMC! The queernormative aspect of this story also really drew me in. I do however find Cem a frustrating character perspective, limited as we are to first person, in that she makes a fair amount of wrong decisions - but given that this is YA, it adds to the tension! But she was a touch frustrating.

The rest of the characters, though fun, were mostly one dimensional for me. Each side character could have done with being fleshed out, as they lacked the true depth I usually adore in YA group dynamics.

A main drawback for me was the pacing - at about 30% through this narrative it felt like the story still hadn’t progressed anywhere - Cem and Chase were still training for the looming (very dangerous) heist that needed to be carried off. For me, though the lure of a heist plot is exciting and I was intrigued by the magic system, the pacing was enough to dissuade me from wanting to really continue. I enjoyed the introduction of new characters into this motley crew of shades and hues all working to pull off this impossible heist or else, but I didn’t feel particularly emotionally invested in whether or not they pulled it off.

The complexity of the worldbuilding was great, and immersive, but came at the expense of the pacing and for me, this time, even though I’m a long time lover of worldbuilding, that impacted the motivation to see this story through.

From a plot perspective, it also was a little frustrating that a lot of the obstacles that the characters came across originated from miscommunication. I’m not a huge fan of this trope, and to see it used so heavily, or perhaps a bit more commonly that other plot devices, turned me off a little. The plot twists also seemed to develop with little preamble, which left me feeling jarred rather than concerned over the stakes.

The writing style itself is great! Cem really comes through as a narrator, which helps the story flow considering she’s such a strong presence. But for me the over use of short one sentence lines to constantly “ham up” the impact negated that and ended up making the text try to read like every single thing and thought was important - which, of course, achieves the opposite effect.

Overall, an intriguing set up, an interesting set of characters and a lovely bit of angst to enjoy! The magic system for me was the most compelling aspect of this, and it reads as a fresh take on ‘talent-based’ and categorised power magic systems which is fun! I think a lot of readers looking for an enjoyable fantasy read with a fun narrator will enjoy this. I do think however, the comparison to Six of Crows could lead to some higher expectations.

Until We Shatter is a YA fantasy standalone

The world is divided between the Shades (those with magic) and the typics (those without)

The magic system is quite complex though and the book may benefit from a summary table to make it easier for readers.

I love Cemmy and her group! I love the plot twists that I didn't see coming!

I really enjoyed the writing style of the author!

Until We Shatter is an imaginative YA fantasy about a young woman trying to survive in a world where the shadows and the church are both bent on destroying her. Cemmy is just trying to support her ailing mother and protect her friends from danger when she's forced to participate in a seemingly impossible heist that could save her and all other half-magical Hues from annihilation.

Filled with twists and turns and overflowing with romantic tension, Until We Shatter is perfect for fans of fantasy heists, found family, closed-door romance, and queer normative worlds.

I honestly can't be mean about this, however much I'd like to because this book, in essence, is not that bad. It just lacks a bit of organising, actual sense, and, oh, a better main character. (I think this would've been better if sapphic, but that's only a personal preference).

First things first, the plot literally led nowhere. The characters themselves notice that nothing has changed at the end of their adventure. So, you saved the world only to go back to being the most hated shits on the continent??? I would call this book action packed, even though the actual heist took place in the last 80 pages. Basically, the characters did some random things, apparently helpful to their goal (or rather the villain's goal????) and argued. Or kissed, as kindly reminded quiet often by Cemmy. For all the church's might, these halflings with no real knowledge of strategy fooled them so fucking easily. They fooled everyone, after all. So fucking convenient. The whole book i was like: Where's this fucking Council you keep mentioning? Why don't they do anything. They didn't have a single appearance in the book, though they should've been the ones to act, not a band of inexperienced, actual reckless chikdren. Betrayals took place, to which I honestly did not see the fucking reason. The male love interest betrayed the group, then the villain, then the group, then the villain, and so on. It felt like a thing added only to be appealing for Booktok. Again, this started nowhere and ended nowhere.

As to the characters, I wanted to strangle Cemmy so bad. She was the shittiest, winning bitch I've ever read about. Thinking herself the it girl one moment and then the other going to cry on our love interest's (who's also a stranger and the one threatening their lives) shoulder about the guilt she feels after continuously fucking up. That was her whole dynamic. Fucking up and then bringing some smart idea to 'solve' the problem. There is nothing to her character. Absolutely nothing. What seems to baffle me is how she steals so fucking much and despite that, she's not able to pay for anything? Girl, either you're robbing the wrong people or your town is fucking poor. Don't even get me started on her mother. Such a pain in the ass. After your daughter takes care of all the bills (this is disputable) by stealing, of which you were aware, you dare confront her about it once you're better as if you're some righteous bitch. The male love interests had potential, but ended up being a confusing, typical fantasy guy. Nothing actually special. He wanted to appear so cool, changing sides like that. If we're to talk about the rest of them, there's literally nothing to say. They were filler characters with bland personalities we didn't even get to discover. Novi was the one to attempt something close to a nicely done character, reason why I'm glad she's got someone better than Cemmy.

I WOULD'VE BEEN SO HAPPY IF THIS WAS SAPPHIC!!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA. THE CHEMISTRY WAS MAKING ME COMBUST AND YET SHE CHOSE THE BORING GUY.

Lastly, I would like to hand the award for the most confusing and senseless plot to this book. The magic was, safe to say, a huge mess. The actual full-bloods seemed to be weaker than the halflings and the whole system was a mess I barely got the hang of. You could say the same thing about every part of this book. It feels like an overthinker spilled their thoughts on paper. Instead of being a balanced book, there always seemed to be a battle between who should be dominant. It was either too much plot, or too much world building or too fucking much character analysis. The more you advance, the more confused you get. As I said, the ideas are nice and unique, and yet it's clear the author was excited, I'd say a bit too excited to give them to us.

The reviews I read seemed to praise the writing and I cannot disagree with that more. For me, the plot, no matter how many holes it had, was the best feature of the book. It was really intriguing to read about their powers manifesting (that until I got to the actual heist, which I skimmed a bit cause damn if it wasn't just the characters trying to become martyrs).

I'm saddened, truly, because this book, this world especially had so much potential and the author's love for the story was noticeable throughout the book. I don't regret reading it, but coming from a reader who likes to analyse everything, this was a headache.

I think there will definitely be some very specific type of readers who will enjoy this. The potential is absolutely there.

Stay with me here…

I have to be honest, I started this book months ago and just couldn’t get into it. I stopped reading after the first chapter and that was that.

Except that wasn’t that. At all.

I tried again a few days ago and what do you know, I was instantly into it and thoroughly enjoyed it!

I found that I had to really concentrate to keep track of the storyline and stay on top of what was happening, particularly once ‘the council’ and ‘the church’ were introduced. I worked hard to figure out who / what was good and / or bad.

Overall, the characters are very likeable and there was more than one ‘gasp out loud’ moment and enough twists and turns to keep me hooked. I was instantly drawn into liking Chase, even though he’s initially introduced as a ‘bad’ guy. Cemmy, the main character, I found frustrating but still likeable and was definitely rooting for her.

On the whole, a very enjoyable book and I would recommend to others who are into this genre.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review and I wish Kate Dylan success with the release.

Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan is a super exciting heist fantasy. The story is all about Cemmy, a thief who’s always in danger. When her mom gets sick, she has to pull off a risky heist to steal a powerful relic from a shadowy realm. She teams up with Chase, a mysterious and dangerous guy, to make it happen.

The book for its fast-paced action, has a cool magic system and the characters are fun, easy to root for, with some romance and a sense of found family thrown in. It’s a great mix of action, magic, and a bit of love.

If you like heist stories with a lot of excitement and magic, this one’s for you!

In a world of in betweens, will you find a sanctuary, or will you shatter? I have stunning @goldsborobooks special editions of Kate Dylan’s first duology but have not gotten to them in my physical tbr, and yet I couldn’t resist asking for an advanced reader’s copy of this book when I read the description. And I must say, I am definitely even more looking forward to the other two books now.

With a color-based magic system that also bears a desaturated, and often threatening parallel plane, this world is both familiar and very unique. It hits a lot of typical fantasy beats, but it never felt like it was slow or boring. The heist aspect gives the feel of popular TV shows like Leverage and series like Shadow and Bone, while the stark and hateful divide between a fanatic religious sect and the often equally harmful magic wielders draws clear connections to reality. Overall, a very fun read that I would recommend to most fantasy readers.

The way Dylan writes kept me captivated and interested in this book. However, I found the book to be a bit confusing to follow along with and the beginning info dump didn’t really help with that.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
4 stars book from me. Loved the plot and the storytelling in Until We Shatter For and the relatable, likable characters,. Loved every single second reading it.

Cemmy, our main character, is a very desperate thief, trying to keep herself and her mother afloat in a city which is on the brink of a civil war between the Church (anti-magic) and the Council of Shades (pro-magic), both of which hates her kind: A Hue, Half a Shade, able to dip in and out of the shadow realm by anchoring herself to the In-Between but not able to survive there without an anchor. But she is not alone, she belongs to a small group of misfits, hunted by all sides.

In her desperation, Cemmy is caught in a bad situation that ends up with her and her friends being blackmailed by a rogue Shade to steal a very secure and heavily guarded artefact since the Church though to create all protection systems to catch full Shades, but not Hues. Queue in the crew of blackmailed misfit Hues, using their colour-specific magical talents, in a life or death heist. Of course we are also served with a side dish of romance.

This book promises a lot for its relatively short length. The world building and the magic system were complex and missed some more explanation and development, since I often got confused about the different colours or metals and their powers and had to go back to where it was explained in order to follow the story again. I liked the concept of the magic system overall, even if I’m missing some depth in it, and I’m a sucker for a good found family story.

It’s worth to mention that this story also features bisexual and disabled representation (a deaf character).

I had never read anything by Kate Dylan, but the writing and pacing of this book was perfectly achieved. I felt, however, that it promised more and ultimately didn’t deliver. The story would have benefited from either from simplification, or a lot more depth being given to the world building and the magic system, as well as the already formed relationships between the characters.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read with good prose and a good old heist.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape and NetGallery for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan

✨️ YA Fantasy
✨️ enemies to lovers
✨️ heist
✨️ unique magic system
✨️ found family


It was a quick, fast-paced, and action-packed read that I finished in a day. The world-building and magic system were complex but refreshingly unique. It's a YA Fantasy with no spice, but the story was so captivating that I didn't miss it at all..I initially found it challenging to connect with the main characters, but they gradually grew on me. They were likable despite their flaws, which made them feel more human to me. Cemmy was a compelling lead and I enjoyed the dynamics between her and her friends. Her journey of overcoming trauma and mastering her magic was beautifully written and I think she and Chase had a great chemistry. I was truly surprised by the twists at the end of the book. Even though it's a standalone, the ending felt somewhat open-ended. I hope we might revisit this world, perhaps through the perspective of a different character.

I really enjoyed the writing and loved the concept of magical heists. Though what I found is that there was a lot happening and I did find it confusing at times. The main problem I found while reading was the magic system was very over complicated and I had to back go back for reference a lot of the time. I will say the magic system is very unique and different to what I have read before but I just wish it had been easy to understand.

It does pick up in the second half and I found myself enjoying that part a lot more.

Kate Dylan delivers and unique and explosive fantasy story..
There's a lot to hold on while reading cause it feels very differently from the other fantasy books out there, but once you figure out whats happening everything will become clearer..
Magic, heist, love , friendships, deceptions, lies, secrets, it what you'll be expecting from this story
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Read if you like
Fantasy
YA
Enemies to lovers
Heist
Action packed
Complex world building
Unique magic system
Twists and turns
.
.
Thanks to Netgalley, the Author and Hodder & Stoughton for this arc

Not sure where to start with this one. Huge disappointment. I’ve read (and LOVED) KDs previous books but this was just confusing.

Overly complicated magic system and I felt like most of the narrative was spent explaining the mechanics of it rather than actually moving the plot on and telling the story. I persisted as others said the payoff was worth the trudge at the beginning, in all honesty I wish I’d quit at 10%.

I just don’t think it works. Overly complicated and quite unlike able characters.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley, thanks!

All in all I really struggled with the world building, it felt overwhelming at times and in the end I was left without a clear sense for the world in which the story was happening. I did also struggle with the magic system and I found myself having to scroll back on my kindle to reference (though I do think this would be easier with a physical copy!) One thing I will say though is that the magic system is very unique and unlike anything I have read before, I just wish it had been explained a little clearer!!

I can see why this has been compared to six of crows with the heist element however I dont think they are comparable at all. I did really enjoy this but I got completely different vibes to six of crows and honestly the characters in this felt a little bit more 2 dimensional.

Once I got over the hump of the world building at the start I was hooked on the story from about 30% in until the end and I found that I couldn't put it down. I do think it is worth a read for lovers of fantasy.