Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my hopes and its taken me so long to finish it. At some points it was engaging but it was mostly confusing getting my head around the world and the magic.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early access to this book!
This was overwhelming for a 300 pages book. I think the prose was the thing that kept me engaged but even then - I had to skim.
The magic system is over complicated. I think this book would strongly benefit with a magic chart because I couldn't keep up and I saw that a lot of readers had experienced this as well.
I couldn't get attached to the characters - depth was lacking on that subject.
The plot twists had major plot holes and some plots were weird to the story... they didn't quite fit in.
I loved the premise for this and was instantly attracted to this book but it unfortunately didn't work for me.

3.5/5 Stars

A high-stakes heist with a unique magic system? Sounds like my kind of book! Until We Shatter throws readers into a world of rebellion, secrets, and found family, all wrapped in an intriguing color-based magic system. While I really enjoyed the concept and the setup, some elements didn’t fully hit the mark for me.

The magic system was fresh and interesting, but at times, it felt overly complex and a bit hard to follow. I loved the found family dynamic and thought Cemmy was a compelling protagonist, though I wish we’d gotten more depth from some of the side characters. The plot had plenty of twists, some of which kept me on my toes, while others felt a little predictable. The romance was there, but I didn’t fully connect with it—it lacked the chemistry I was hoping for.

That said, I appreciate that this is a standalone, and the writing itself was engaging. If you enjoy heists, morally gray characters, and a magic system that’s different from the norm, this is worth checking out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A heist with a unique magical system like this has everything i look into a book . This was definitely right up in my alley. Enjoyed the whole set up and the characters. Adored that is a stand alone and bot a series . Definitely would recommend

A good way of introducing a new way into a fantasy world with a little bit of sci fi aftertaste.

I enjoyed the world painted in front of me but at times it just felt a bit flat. The potential of characters and the world is strong however sometimes it is just below surface instead of it drawing the readers in its uniqueness.

The plot twists and other developing of the story was very intriguing to the point I was finding myself wanting to skip ahead to know what has happened.

This is my 2nd book of this author and I'm still very interested in what they will write next

“Until We Shatter” by Kate Dylan is a wild ride through a unique magical world. The color-based magic system is pretty cool, but I found it a bit too complicated to fully get into. The story moves at a breakneck pace, which kept me turning the pages, but I wish the characters had more depth—I didn’t feel as connected to them as I wanted to. Some of the plot twists were a bit predictable or didn’t quite hit the mark. All in all, it’s an adventurous read with a fresh take on magic, but it left me wanting more in terms of character development and a clearer magic system.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I started the book through NetGalley and shelved it for so long that it was no longer available on there and had to finish it elsewhere.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this standalone fantasy, but the book unfortunately did not meet my expectations.

From the start, the magic system was not explained smoothly and that continued throughout the entirety of the novel. The explanations were stuffed into chunks which seemed jarring.

I also found there to be a lot of plot holes which should have at least somewhat been addressed given it is a standalone.

I do appreciate a good found family story, but it felt like that and some other tropes were stuffed in because they’re popular.

For the positives: the cover of this novel is beautiful and captivating. And more importantly, Kate Dylan is a talented writer showcased by her ability to write beautiful prose. I found myself pausing at times to admire the way a sentence was written and that is not something I routinely do.

I do look forward to future works from this author.

I ended up DNFing this because I could not bring myself to care about anything in this book. The characters were boring and uncompelling, the plot was basic and the magic system, which was the coolest part of the book, was just not enough to hold my attention. The writing isn't bad, and neither is the book really, but there just is nothing truly unique and special about this.

A fantastic foray into an incredible new world - I was hungry for the details of the mechanics, the mysteries and magic of this empire.

So many little details stood out as beautifully inclusive of gender, sexualities and disabilities that felt seamlessly included and, although present in a terrible system, felt so normalised and accepted.

Cemmy is a half shade, caught in the middle,

"The Church would see her killed for having any magic.
The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough.​"

​Desperate to save her mother Cemmy must pull off an impossible heist, but when her friends are dragged into the plan, old secrets threaten to be exposed.

I loved this one. The characters, the world, the use of magic, everything felt so fresh.
A story unlike any I have read before.

This was my first Kate Dylan book, and I was not disappointed. Until We Shatter has amazing characters, a strong plot and some amazing world building. And the twists of it kept me on the edge the entire time.

The pace of this book is amazing and i felt like the magic elements of the book were quite unique. And i cannot wait to read more from this author.

I absolutely loved this book. This is the first time I have read anything from Kate Dylan, and I was not disappointed. She did an excellent job with the characters, world building, and the plotting of the book....not to mention the twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. This was a fast paced romantasy that I was hooked on from very early in the book. I loved the magical elements that are unique with the secrets and lies all woven in to make for an excellent read. I highly recommend this one. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, Hodder & Stoughton/Hodderscape, and Kate Dylan

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The world building was amazing and it was fast paced which I always love for a book. I really enjoyed the feature and the characters were amazing.

Once again a book is marketed as ‘for fans of Six of Crows’ and I just think marketing books comparing them to others really creates unreachable expectations when all books should be considered in their own right. The comparison is made here because there is a heist - however if you’re expecting fun high jinks, loveable characters, yearning and expert scheming, unfortunately, for me, this wasn’t the book. There feels a lot mot talking about a heist than actual action and doing the job, making the pace a little off. Cemmy is also hugely difficult to like, she keeps things from her friends who have her back but still expects loyalty, and that’s without even mentioning the romance (more below)

While there is a romance, unfortunately it’s one without any chemistry - having a bi character, this has potential however disappointingly the romance (when ff and fm is on offer) is with the male character, despite there not being any spark between them, it’s just instant attraction and a lot of toxicity and ignoring problems. Novi makes sense - Chase doesn’t and his actions (and Cemmy’s) are way too easily overlooked and forgiven to be something I rooted for. I suppose in that sense they make sense because they both hate accountability and Novi absolutely deserved better (and still shows up even she’s treated poorly), but the most likeable characters in this book are pushed to the sidelines in the story.

I don’t like to be negative about a book when someone has put their time and heart into it but I just couldn’t really connect with this book, the premise has potential and while the world building is overly complicated at times, it could really work, I just didn’t like the main characters, or the romance, and the pacing was a bit slow.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Don't sleep on this book!

If you enjoyed six of crows or house of bane and blood PLEASE pick up this book.

The characters were perfection!
The magick was refreshing and original
Kept me guessing until the end

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨
Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A gripping sci-fi journey into rebellion, sacrifice, and hope that had me hooked from start to finish.
Until We Shatter is an electrifying dystopian sci-fi with morally gray characters, high-stakes action, and a dash of romance. Kate Dylan delivers a thought-provoking story set in a world of oppression and rebellion, with twists that will keep you guessing.

What I loved:
💥 The world-building is immersive, with a dark and gritty atmosphere that enhances the stakes.
💥 Complex, flawed characters who feel real, each grappling with choices that challenge their beliefs.
💥 The blend of fast-paced action with moments of vulnerability and emotional depth.
💥 A story that explores themes of loyalty, survival, and what it means to fight for a better future.

Trope list:
✨ Found family
✨ Enemies to allies
✨ Morally gray protagonists
✨ Dystopian rebellion

If you enjoy sci-fi with heart, tension, and plenty of twists, Until We Shatter is a fantastic choice. I can’t wait to see what Kate Dylan writes next!

💬 Have you read Until We Shatter? What’s your favorite dystopian read? Let’s chat below!

#UntilWeShatter #KateDylan #SciFiReads #DystopianBooks #Bookstagram #MorallyGrayCharacters #FoundFamily #BookReview

This book is honestly so delightful. I'm a sucker for a heist novel but I absolutely loved the characters and the sense of found family that Kate Dylan created. It didn't feel too heavy but was a great dose of adventure!

I really enjoyed this page-turner of a heist novel! I fell in love with the characters, especially Cemmy! It was a really fast read from one of my favourite Science fiction/fantasy authors.

I am not sure why I just have such a hard time getting into heist plots, but this one was decent. I really enjoyed the unique magic system, though it felt incredibly complex; I also enjoyed the plot twists and queer rep. I found the romance to be lacking as well as the character development. Overall a pretty good read.

Thank you Hodderscape for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a young adult fantasy involving an elaborate, high stakes heist. The world and the magic are unusual and take a little work to fully understand but it's a really engaging read and after the initial world building the pace really picks up. I loved Cemmy, the main character, who was somewhat difficult and certainly flawed but had me rooting for her all the way. I also loved her found family and the romance. On top of this, there was fast paced action and betrayals galore which made it hard to put down. And though I understand it to be a standalone, there is a lot of potential for the characters and the world and I'd be happy to return to them in the future.