DNF: 28%

Honestly, comparing this book to Six of Crows is what drew me in. However, I couldn't get through this book. I tried to give it time, but I was very much confused and tired reading this.

The idea of this world is super interesting, which is why I initially did not want to give up in it. But, the magic system was way to complicated at the beginning. I feel that the author could have eased the readers into this system, and given more info on how the magic worked. This in turn made the book hard to get through, as it wasn't relaxing to read as I had to go back and forth figuring out the magic system.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an early copy of this book!

I definitely think this was an interesting concept that just wasn’t executed in a way that captured my attention. I had a hard time getting into it.

First and foremost Kate Dylan knows how to write prose. That is, by far, the highlight of the book and a constant that carries through her other novels. As for Until We Shatter, I think it fell a bit short for me. The main character is great- she's complicated, makes a lot of mistakes, but is overall a good person. The heist action was exciting and a lot of fun. My issue was that the first part of the book felt like nothing more than a heavy info dump about the world and (mostly) the magic system. Now, there's a lot of great ideas there, but I think if there's going to be that complicated a set up that we really needed a duology in order to space the worldbuilding out a bit more. It's not a bad book and certainly won't put me off reading more Dylan in the future... it just didn't quite work for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Kate Dylan’s *Until We Shatter* is a gripping, high-stakes dystopian novel that keeps you on edge from start to finish. Set in a world where genetic enhancements dictate worth, the story follows Nate, a "Defective" who is running out of time before the system disposes of him. Desperate and determined, he teams up with Kit, a fierce and unpredictable fighter, in a rebellion against a future designed to crush them.

Dylan’s worldbuilding is immersive, painting a bleak yet electrifying vision of a society obsessed with perfection. The tension is relentless, with action sequences that pack a punch and emotional stakes that hit hard. Kit, in particular, steals the show—her complexity, resilience, and raw determination make her an unforgettable character.

While the novel excels in pacing and intensity, some moments feel slightly rushed, and a deeper exploration of the world’s politics could have added more depth. However, the fast-moving plot and compelling character dynamics more than make up for it.

If you love dystopian thrillers with strong-willed characters, adrenaline-fueled action, and a touch of rebellion, *Until We Shatter* is well worth the read.

I loved Kate Dylan's sci-fi books and was so excited to read her new fantasy one! I thought the magic system was unique, those with powers are called Shades and have different abilities represented by different colours. Shades also have access to the Gray - another dimension of the real world where everything is intangible and allows Shades to walk through the world unseen. Cemmy is a half-Shade (a Hue) so only has partial access to the Gray, and her ability to touch objects in the Gray catches the eye of a Shade wanting to pull off a risky heist.

The world building really drew me in, the politics, magic and city were constructed well - although it might be a bit too complicated for a short standalone. I definitely think the book could've been longer to explore all these details a bit more as it was very intriguing. The heist plot was well paced though and I loved seeing the found family develop as they progressed. I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for a quick, high-stakes heist fantasy!

A really interesting magic system, and a richly imagined world! The characters are interesting, and the way all the threads of the story twist together is great

Until We Shatter is such a unique book. I really loved that it is a standalone book and the story is wrapped up nicely.

I loved the unique world building of the Shadows, Hues, Typics and the Gray. Cemmy, her three friends, Chase and a new Hue, Lyria are tasked with an impossible heist. With the stakes high and a deadly mission, it is only up to the five of them to work together and save the world as they know it.
Can they trust each other or is the quest doomed from the start?
It is up to Cemmy to gain the trust of the Gold Hue and save herself, her friends and heal her mom.

I really loved the idea of the friendship between Cemmy and her friends, however I wish I got to see them interact a bit more. I found the idea of the Gray and phasing between the worlds. The romance aspect of the story was great and I was rooting for Cemmy and Chase from the start. I enjoyed the plot twists even if some of them were a little predictable. I did find myself feeling lost with the lore and the rules of magic in this world, however it was getting better as the characters were learning along with me. I wish Cemmy’s character was a little more likable and she trusted her friends more but I suppose that is a nice lesson to learn from her mistakes.

Unfortunately I tried reading this book on multiple occasions. I read around 10-15 pages each time I picked the book up, but struggled to carry on reading. I'm unsure whether the problem was the writing style or the perspective the book was written in. I really struggled to read this and really had to push myself to get to 20% completion.

Therefore, I was unable to finish the book.

2.5 rounded down. I find that I am quite picky with young adult nowadays, but I was really intrigued by the presmise which is why I wanted to pick this one up. Unfortunately, while there were some things I liked about the worldbuilding and the writing style was fine for me, I didn't quite resonate with the characters here, which made the overall experience kind of fall flat for me.

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.