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.

“Until We Shatter” by Kate Dylan is a thrilling, action-packed heist fantasy that will captivate fans of “Six of Crows” and “A Darker Shade of Magic.”

The story follows Cemmy, a desperate thief whose life is constantly under threat from both the Church and the Council of Shades, with both factions warring over the control of the people.
When her mother falls ill, Cemmy is forced to take on a life of crime. She meets Chase and is put in a position where one dangerous job could solve all their problems. She must team up with him, an enigmatic and dangerous character, to steal a powerful mysterious object.

The book excels in its world-building and magic system; which is both unique and intricate. It revolves around Shades, which are colors that represent different types of magical abilities. Characters’ powers are derived from these Shades, and there are also forbidden Hues, which are dilutions of these Shades.
The found family characters are well-developed and engaging, with Cemmy’s relationships adding depth to the narrative. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, especially in the later parts of the story.

Overall, “Until We Shatter” is a vibrant and explosive fantasy novel that combines high stakes, a compelling heist, and a richly developed world. It’s a must-read if you're looking for a fresh and exciting adventure caper!!
Thank you to @thekatedylan and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this amazing Arc

Cemmy is a Hue, the child of a magicless human and a shade full of magic based on color. Being a half-breed, she has been hunted her whole life due to her existence being illegal. In order to make ends meet for herself and her dying mom, she uses her gifts in the Gray to steal from those around her. But when a lift goes terribly wrong, she and her other Hue friends must team up with the enemy to save the Gray and the world.

This is an interesting book to review. The concept was so unique and I loved the magic system. However, it felt so convoluted for how short this book is. The reader is constantly thrown all these colors and their associated powers. The beginning of the book provides a basic index of the shade colors and their magics, but not the hues. This is purposeful due to information revealed later, but it made it very hard as the reader to keep up with all the info dumping.

My other issue was the characters are felt very flat. We’re told of their relationships and how close they all are, but rarely did I feel it true. This could be another by product of this being a 300 page book, but I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters. I felt like too much happened off page and I felt like an outsider to the story.

All this to say, I found the book just okay. There was nothing that kept me from wanting to pick it up, but nothing that kept me wanting to come back for more either. I think a lot of people will enjoy the mystery and heist, both of which were my favorite parts of the book. The second half of the story is definitely where it shines, so if you can read the first half in quick succession I think you’ll have a must better experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had an arc of this book, and i struggled to finish it. However I did enjoy the story it was a bit confusing at times or too slow paced.

A book of magical heists - usually right up my alley. The writing itself is well done. What really hindered this book for me was the FMC and the overcomplicated magic system that was introduced a little too brashly and bluntly. In theory, using the colours and such as a base for the system is a great idea, but there are too many holes and lacking structure to support the book. It is a writing style that implies the reader already knows the world and then tries to backtrack and explain it. What also hurt this book for me was the e-copy received was very poorly structured/formatted, which made reading it awkward. I would be interested to read another of this authors work because the writing itself is good, but the story and world were not for me,

Absolutely amazing 💙 Kate has done it again, and how is it possible to love this book even more than her first one I do not know…but I do!! If you loved Mindwalker you are going to have this on your favourites shelf as soon as you finish the last page (after you have a mini rant of emotions to whoever is closest).

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read the ARC of this book.

I had a great time reading this one. The characters were fleshed out and had great dynamic with each other. The story also had me hooked from beginning to end. The only thing that was a minus for me was the magic system. I had a hard time understanding and following the powers and the Gray area. But that is only a me issue. But other than that I was entertained throughout.

Definitely one of my favorite fantasy of 2024!! The world building and the magic system were super well done and very different from most things I've read. I really liked the characters and the found family trope was very well developed too, the romance didn't really win me over, but honestly everything else made up for it. Also can we NOT talk about chapter 24???? it hurt!!!! 😭

Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows meets The Black Prism.

Cemmy is a thief, trying to keep afloat in a city which is on the brink of shattering amidst a civil war between the Council of Shades and the Church, both of which hates her kind. A Hue. Half a Shade, only able to dip in and out of the shadow realm by anchoring herself to the In-Between.

Cemmy and her friends of fellow misfits, hunted by both sides, are blackmailed to steal the most securely guarded artefact.

Cemmy makes a lot of bad decisions a lot of the time. But she is always fuelled by mostly good intentions. Protecting her friends, caring for her mother’s sickness, dealing with her own fear and trauma of a previous job gone wrong.

For this reason, she can be an incredibly frustrating character to follow. Wrapped in secrets like a security blankets leads to more and more problems (and betrayals).

I don't want to talk, or go home, or act sensible. I want to burn.
The problem with a burn is that it's wont to blister. And when it inevitably does, the pain only screams worse.

It is fascinating that a lot of the issues the crew runs in to is a matter of false information by people who control the flow. How altering what people know can shape their prejudices, fear, and sense of self.

“A perfect soldier is a Shade they can predict and control," Chase says, jaw tense, voice bitter. "And when power is afraid, you can always trust it to make the most morally bankrupt choice."

The magic system was hard to grasp to begin with. A lot of colours and their aligning powers and attributes and weaknesses, yet so long as you get your head around the main crew, it is easier to follow.
However, I do think a glossary at the start might have helped.

Bonuses:
- Bi-sexual representation
- Deaf and signing representation

Thank you to Hodderscape for sending me the physical arc in exchange for a review!

this is such a hard review to write. Whilst I enjoyed Dylan’s writing in this book, I just did not get on with the story and the world.

I read and loved Mindwalker, so I was very much looking forward to this one and was delighted to receive an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, this really let me down.

I genuinely don’t feel like I understood the world enough to be able to write a summary, and what little I did understand felt convoluted. The magic system of shades and hues and their powers was overly complicated, which left me feeling very confused throughout. We do get some explanations about 40% in, but this felt too little too late and in all honesty left me none the wiser.

I thought that the friendships between our main characters were underdeveloped and therefore unbelievable. I would have liked to have seen more of our main character Cemmy with her friends Novi, Ezzo and Eve.

I also felt that the “romance” sub plot between Cemmy and Chase was underdeveloped, unnecessary and I just couldn’t get on board with it. I would have done away with this and just had more time devoted to explaining the magic system.

It’s been 24 hours since I finished this, so I’ve had time to think about it, and I’m still coming away confused, disappointed and frustrated.

I *think* I can see what Dylan was trying to do, I really do love her writing and I appreciate the effort. The execution however, was disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the eARC.

Super tricky to write this review because honestly I still don't understand this book... I felt like I just kept waiting for everything to be explained and it never really was. So here's the best synopsis I can offer; Cemmy is a Hue which means she's the child of a typic (a powerless human) and a Shade, a human with a power based on a colour. Each colour has a different power but don't ask me what they are because I have no idea. The world she lives in doesn't like Shades, but REALLY doesn't like Hues. She and her friends (who are also Hues) are abducted and forced to help this evil bloke Savian to rob the Dominion (don't ask me about this either) and steal the Siphon which is like a power sucker thing that will take away everyone's abilities (I think). They don't want to do it but kinda have no choice. Cemmy is trying to look after her mum so she'll do anything to help her. Additionally, there's this guy Chase who works for Savian and he's maybe not quite so bad? And he's also pretty which always helps. I feel like I've done a terrible job of explaining the plot but that's as good as I'm going to manage (sorry!)

I really wanted to love this, I adored Mindwalker and can't wait to read Mindbreaker. Those books have a really well described and established world that this book is severely lacking sadly. I just still don't understand the powers and the Grey and the In-between and all the Hues and Shades and what it all means really - they're just sort of meaningless words that keep being repeated without every being truly explained. Even after reading the whole book I have no idea what power Cemmy had as a Bronze. There's also magic too but that's never expanded upon so...

It's a strange one because the world isn't explained nearly enough, and the only detail we get is about 40% in which is too long to wait in my opinion, but it's not necessarily badly written. It could have been so much better if it had been simplified a little and maybe edited a bit more. Alternatively it could have just been explained again (I'm someone who needs spoon feeding when it comes to fantasy so maybe that's a me problem).

I couldn't really tell you much about any of the characters which meant I just wasn't impacted by the dramatic things that happen to them, and I didn't buy into the romance at all (despite being a romance girly through and through).

Overall, I didn't love it and I didn't hate it but I certainly wouldn't pick up a sequel if there ever was one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder Books for the eARC.

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing I want to talk about is the world building, I really struggled with it. It felt like we really got thrown into the deep end with this book without really knowing what is going on. From the beginning it talks about the ‘Grey’ and never really explains what it is, yes they can switch between the normal world and ‘Grey’ but like… what is it? A different reality? I couldn’t tell you.
The magic system felt very overcomplicated and was very hard to follow. I would definitely recommend adding in a magic chart at the front of the book - I think this could’ve been done even with everything that happens in the book.

This book felt very rushed and I never say this but I think this book would have benefited from being a duology. This whole book loves the miscommunication trop, so keep that in mind if that’s something that annoys you.

I really like this author, however this book just didn’t work for me. I’m excited to see what else Kate writes.

Loved it, loved it, loved it! What more can I say? I loved the world, I loved the characters and loved the plot twists.

Until We Shatter is a wild ride from start to finish. Kate Dylan’s writing is absolutely beautiful, and extremely readable. This was very hard to put down, the book is fast-paced and full of thrills. I absolutely loved this plot. It is just -brimming with themes of forgiveness, grief, and trust. The book definitely demands your full attention for at least the first 100 pages. It’s easy to get lost in the magic details but the magic system is fantastic. The characters are perfect in that they’re both likable and unlikable depending on the circumstances. I truly wanted all of them to succeed no matter what their differing motivations were. It’s refreshing to read fantasy with a FMC with explainable and plausible flaws that don’t make her unbearably annoying. All six core characters have distinct personalities and I’m just so happy that they don’t all blend together. The diversity is also incredibly impressive!!

I can't wait to read more of Kate Dylans books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Dylan and Hodder & Stoughton for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

This was a solid read for me.

The magic system was very original, unique & not something I’ve seen before. The very beginning of the book was a bit intimidating because it was a huge info dump on the magic system that was a lot to try to take in. It does get explained more as the book goes on, but it was just a lot right on the front end without any other context.

The story was quick paced & action packed. There was never a dull moment. The characters were well-developed; however, I was not really a fan of Cemmy. She worked my nerves.

Overall, this was a great read that I’d be happy to recommend to other readers who enjoy fantasy.

First of all as always thank you so much Kate and publishers hodderscape / hodder and stoughton

Oh my gosh I think I've found one of my favourite book with the best heist init ever .
The plot to the story I thought was perfect I was totally gripped from first page and my heart was pounding with was we was getting next from the moment you start the book kate chucks you straight into the action which I was screaming with excitement. I loved it .

I love the magic system where the characters powers are based on their colours ( the are know as shades )

Kate writing has my eyes stuck to the page , with world building I normally get bit feed up but I can happily say Kate so clever how she works around this and made me very excited for what is to come .

I have fallen in love with sifi all over agian and now Kate added more fantasy I enjoyed every moment.

Can't wait for everyone eles who loves Kate books to read this .I definitely had my heart in my mouth at times .

I'm giving the book a gripping edge of your seat 5 stars 🌟

A Roller coaster of e.otiin.
Very unique and enticing characters and plot.
Loved the world and the writing.

Until we shatter

The first few chapters were a load of information thrown at you about the magic system, the lands, politics and names for things that I found difficult to digest.
Even as the book went on, although I'd been told the information I found it difficult to take it all on board and I was left feeling confused and so uninvested in the plot at times.
"The grey" didn't make much sense to me, it's existence wasn't really explained and so the stakes at play when you think about it no longer existing weren't there, so I didn't particularly care.

The book wasn't really for me but I'm sure others would enjoy it, it's a young adult/adolescent read

Main characters are 19/20

Cemmy is a young woman whose life is endangered due to her precarious position between two powerful factions. The Church wants her dead for having magic, while the Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough magic. Cemmy takes a high-stakes heist job of stealing a powerful relic hidden by the Church. She must team up with several other magic thieves to complete the job, one being Chase, a mysterious and dangerous individual with hidden motives. Success would mean safety for her mother, but failure could bring down the city.

Cemmy is a relatable character who highlights the lengths one will go to for survival and the sacrifices made for loved ones. Her actions are driven by the need to protect her mother. Cemmy's courage and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds emphasize the importance of determination. I wish some focus were also on the other characters to help build deeper connections and relationships.

The prose effectively captures the tension and urgency of Cemmy's situation. This issue lies in the magic system. It needed to be explained better, and I got lost. The concept was interesting but could be flushed out and better explained, which is hard to do in a short standalone. It was still enjoyable, and I'm glad I read it.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape.

The first one or two chapters confused the hell out of me. So much is going on with no explanations whatsoever. We have no idea how the magic system and the world building work, we don’t know the characters or their relationships. We don’t know what or who is important.
I always struggle with books like this. By now, I simply keep reading without thinking. If it’s important enough, it will be explained. And if that doesn’t happen, the book has already lost me.

Luckily, in this case we got the explanations. It took some time, so at the end I didn’t care as much as I would’ve, if the book had started out with better pacing, but after a while, I did start to enjoy it.
The world building was actually really interesting! Not very complex and the magic system of dividing powers by colours isn’t that innovative, but it was well done. Simple enough to make sense, but with just enough thought behind everything that it wasn’t boring.

The plot could’ve been explained better. It was a heist. Good enough, but I would’ve liked more information about the why. By the end it makes sense that we don’t get that much information, but while reading the book, this frustrated me.
But at least the plot wasn’t overly complicated, so even with not that much information it was easy to follow along.

The characters also didn’t confuse me for long, but I would have liked more and deeper characterisations.
Cemmy was well fleshed out – kind of paranoid, traumatized and trying to ignore her past, but being deeply influenced by it in her actions and relationships. It was fantastic to see her development. Not too rushed or forced, but slow and realistic.
Chase was also interesting. I changed my opinion towards him multiple times, as we got to know more about him. He really had more depth than I would’ve thought. But some of his actions didn’t really make sense for me. There were explanations, but those weren’t good enough for me.
And the rest… I could barely keep them apart and the ones I recognised were basically just simmered down to a single character trait. The ex. The deaf girl. The whole heist is not a one-person-act, all of them could’ve played bigger roles. There were so many relationships I would’ve loved to explore. Why was Savian doing all of that? What exactly did Lyria feel when meeting so many other Hues? What did Novi think about Cemmy’s secrets? We get answers to these questions, but I wanted more.
Give me more details about the politics with Council and Church, tell me everything! This could’ve been made into a duology and I rarely advocate for making a series longer. It was good, but everything felt rushed.

In total – still quite a nice book. Almost got 4 stars. I really loved the idea, the characters, everything. But the pacing seriously needed work and it was too much crammed into a single book. There was way too much of everything at the beginning. It would’ve worked so much better, if everything had been slowed down slightly and if we had the opportunity to actually understand what was going on. Stretch everything out, give the reader time to understand and fall in love with the characters.
If it had been a debut novel, I would’ve been very happy with the way it was written, but for an already established author, I would’ve expected more.

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