Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy.

The premise of this book and its magic system were very interesting yet the story was lacking.
I have found that with the authors other book that there was a lot of potential and too much filler. We don’t get a good introduction and description of the magic system and then the world building also felt rushed.

I think a lot could have been done with this story to make it a more engaging read.

When I heard that Illumicrate was doing this book for their monthly sub I got really excited and reading the blurb I thought it would be right up my alley, but unfortunately I should have DNF’d it midway because I was somewhat bored throughout it. I had trouble keeping up with the amount of heavy world building at the beginning which made me lose interest and I basically forced myself to finish. The saving grace was the characters and I did find the magic system interesting as I haven’t seen it done before so it intrigued me.

Man! This book was a whirlwind. The characters we are introduced true are so well crafted, I found myself deeply invested in the their journey from the very first page.

Dylan's writing is both lyrical and accessible, making it easy to get lost in the writing and forget about the world around you. Plus the tension had me turning the page so fast to figure out what was going on.

While the pacing is generally strong, there are a few moments that felt a bit drawn out. However, the overall emotional payoff makes it worthwhile. Fans of contemporary romance will appreciate the authentic portrayal of love and heartbreak, and the way Dylan addresses important themes adds depth to the narrative.

Overall, Until We Shatter is a beautifully crafted story that will leave you reflecting on love’s complexities long after you’ve turned the last page. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder/Stoughton, and Ms. Dylan for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Things I liked:
LOVED the cover. So pretty. Really appealing and the shatter lines are well done.
The dialogue between the characters was great and the overall story was intriguing. I do love a heist and a magic heist, even better. Honestly, even when I was frustrated with the pacing and the characters the story itself kept me reading (a good sign).

Things I wasn't as fond of:
The magic system was very complex and hard for me to follow. I thought there were seven colors but then there were 20+ish? The beginning was a bit info-dumpy which also really slowed down the story trajectory for me. A good editor could have really cut that down and streamlined it a lot because it was hard to push through.
The characterization was a bit lacking. I felt Cassiel was not as interesting as Cemmy's group of friends, particularly Novi and Lyria. Cemmy herself was frustrating: she crashed and burned a relationship AND a friendship because she refused to tell the truth, then she demanded the truth (in almost exactly Novi's words to her) from Cassiel. Eh.
I would have preferred the pacing to be a bit quicker and more focus on the heist. I don't mind a training montage if the training is clearly part of the heist mechanics, a la Ocean's 11 etc.
Lastly, please stop selling books as "Six of Crows readalikes". This showed some promise but it was no Six of Crows.


The idea shows promise but the execution needs some work, I thought. ⭐⭐⭐

From the blurb (and the amazing cover) I picked up this book with high expectations, but unfortunately the book didn't fully live up to them.

I enjoyed the idea of the world building, where there are people with powers who are called shades and who are getting hunted by conservative government, which condemns all powers. The powers of shades are based on their hues (a little bit complicated to understand). One rule though that everyone has always (or almost always) followed is that there cannot be half shades and half humans. Our protagonist is a such being, so she needs to hide. However, her mother's sickness push her to accept a dangerous job, which inevitably turns into a mistake. Now she's forced to collaborate with Chase on her new mission, but things aren't always what they seem.

While I grasped the idea the author had about this world, I still found it quite confusing how she described it. There were a lot of information, which at times interrupted the story. I would have also liked to see more character development, not host for our main character Cemmy, but for her friends and Chase as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodderscape for a digital arc.

For Cemmy, taking care of her mum is her main priority. Stealing to survive, she has no other choice. When her recent job goes wrong, Cemmy and her friends become involved in something much bigger than them. Their next job might be their last, and if they fail, it won’t just be them it effects, but so many other people.

I really enjoyed this, from the world building, to the characters. There’s a deep sense of friendship and connection, and my favourite – found family. One thing I did have a little issue with was the magic system, while I enjoyed it, it went from easy to understand, to a confusing and often muddled puddle that had me wondering what was actually happening and how the magic actually worked.

I liked the heist aspect of it, and how it wasn’t as straightforward as they’d planned for. I also liked the little twist towards the end, even if I did see it coming. Most of all, though, I really liked the bisexual rep, as well as the deaf rep. I’m always on the lookout for books with good bisexual representation, and was pleasantly surprised to see it in this.

There are some slow parts, and I admit this took me a while to read (busy life, not the book’s fault), but every time I picked it up, I was hooked. It’s my first book by this author, and I’ll definitely be picking up any future titles!



Did I like the book? Yes.

Did I love it? Yes.

Would I recommend it? I would. I think the Six of Crows comp is a bit of a stretch, but there’s found family, a heist and an interesting magic system. As a standalone, it’s a great read for those not looking to dive into another series.

I have been really excited to get to this book but I had a feel from the start it wasn’t right for me and so I’ve sadly DNF’d at 20%. The idea behind it is interesting, and the magic, plus the story is moving along at a good pace but there’s something that isn’t working for me at all. I think it may be in part the writing and also the main character, Cem, who I’m not connecting with. I wasn’t drawn into the writing or the story enough to keep going but this really is more personal taste than there being anything bad about the book so I know it will be a hit for other readers.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I liked the writing and the plot, but sadly I couldn't connect to the characters. They all fell kinda flat to me.

Until We Shatter is a YA fantasy standalone written by Kate Dylan. This book is full of action, deceptions, lies, secrets, alliances and betrayals. It revolves around a highly risky heist and a group of thieves who are as skilled as they are misfits. A quick, gripping and engaging novel that kept me glued to the pages and highly satisfied! I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy lovers, especially if you are not looking to dive into a series with this being a standalone.

I loved that we jump right into the plot instead of being presented with pages and pages of world-building! I'm a sucker for a heist plot and combining that with a really unique colour magic system made this novel one I found hard to put down. There is a romance sub-plot and I really enjoyed this as well, even better than it wasn't the entire focus of the story!

Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Kate Dylan for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

I'd like to begin this review by stating that Until We Shatter was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and because of this, I might have set my expectations a little bit too high before picking it up to read. That being said, this is also not a debut novel, so my expectations, although high, weren't unreasonably so.

As a reminder to those of you who have read my reviews before, or as an explanation for those of you who are new here, anything I rate 3 stars or higher is something that I liked... but didn't love.

Kate Dylan's latest novel contains many elements worth appreciating.

First, she has crafted an eclectic mix of characters, each with distinct desires and ambitions, showcasing personalities that are flawed, amusing, and realistically gritty. Although there was a limit to what could be achieved in (what I believe is) a standalone novel, Kate Dylan effectively assembled a group of believable would-be thieves connected through shared history and trauma.

Another aspect I enjoyed about this book was her writing style. Kate writes very pretty sentences that can pack a real punch. I believe she'd really excel in the adult domain, which would allow her to push her skills even further. Her words read well aloud, and I can imagine they would translate very effectively in audiobook format. She uses narrative pauses beautifully. I believe this is the main reason I was able to persist through what I found to be challenging.

That being said, there were a few things I didn't like. Namely, a criticism that seems to be a common thread among many early reviewers here: the world building is overwhelming and confusing, and frequently left me scratching my head, trying to remember which colour meant what power, or what a metallic even was. I read a considerable amount of adult high fantasy novels, many of which include maps, glossaries, and detailed lore explanations. I only mention this to highlight that complex magic systems are not new to me, and I genuinely believe that the problem with Until We Shatter is that the world-building got lost in translation.

The power glossary at the beginning of the novel lacks sufficient detail. There is no explanation for shades, family trees, or other information that could help readers understand what Kate Dylan aims to convey. To me, it felt like I was pushed to create my own resources to explain this complex system—a demanding expectation for a Young Adult novel. I took an unexpectedly long time to realise that each colour corresponded to a metallic "shade" counterpart, and until I made this connection, the novel was quite difficult to follow. I initially assumed the entire heist group consisted of "normal" magic users until halfway through the book, when a journal excerpt provided additional context for the lore.

If you are feeling confused while reading this review... I trust that my point is translating well. I, too, am confused. Confused about how to communicate what I experienced. Confused about what happened to make it this way in the first place... It was quite a lot to process.

I truly wanted to love this book. I made a genuine effort to engage with it. From a purely utilitarian perspective, this book appears to have fallen into a common pitfall many standalone novels encounter: overambition within a limited page count. Had this book been divided into a duology, it might have allowed Kate Dylan the opportunity to convey her lore more effectively. But as it stands in my eyes, it's a book that I liked, but didn't love.

This book was a slow start for me, a lot of world building but from about 20% it had me hooked. The plot with the heist had me on the edge of my seat.

The magic system in this book was very interesting with how all different colours had certain abilities.

The characters were well written and their interactions with each other was brilliant. I was not sure if I like Cemmy but they definitely grew on my through the book.

Will definitely recommend this book to others.

Note to self: if a book blurb says “perfect for fans of Six of Crows” it just means it’s a cheap, badly written copy of it.

⭐️⭐️.5 - a very complex magic system that I did not understand but I really enjoyed aspects of the book and the concept was really intriguing!

The writing style was very poetic and flowed very well throughout the book. I really enjoy Kate Dylan’s style and the concept of this book was so intriguing!! Kate’s writing flowed so well keeping me interested and enthusiastic.

I was sad that I didn’t get on with this book because the idea and concept really intrigued me and I was so excited to read it. It could absolutely be a read at the wrong time and this experience will not prevent me from picking it up and trying again in the future.

I found the world building and magical system quite confusing which made it very difficult for me to understand what was happening. A good 1/3 of this book was about world building/ magical system building making it seem like world dumping. I feel like the magical system needs more pages to explain in a way that can be understood or made simpler because I am not built for this level of complexity 😩😩

I really enjoyed aspects of this book and the action was super fun and kept me interested!

I didn’t feel very connected to the characters which I think really affected my reactions to certain events preventing me from having the emotions I probably should have had.

I am going to try and read this book again in the future and hope I will be in a better position to understand the complex magical system because the plot and writing was so amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Kate Dylan for this EARC. 🫶

2.5/5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my official petition for books to stop being compared to Six of Crows just because it has a heist. What makes Six of Crows great for me is the characters and the relationships between them.

This book did not sell me on the characters or their relationships. One conversation between Cemmy and Ezzo, Eve or Lyria is not enough to convince me that they have this familial bond, not to mention the fact that I barely know these characters. I wasn’t shown the bond between them. Plus when *spoiler* died, I felt like no one had a visceral enough reaction, they just continued on with their heist.

I also didn’t buy the relationship between Cemmy and Chase and feel as though it didn’t have a satisfying conclusion, as they had been lying to each other their entire relationship, and that did not get resolved.

The world building was so complex too, I still don’t know what color is what power because there are SO MANY options. Plus there were some politics and religious complexities, there was just a lot going on and I’m still not sure I fully grasp the motivations behind the different groups.

And I will not go into Savian, but he was such a boring and one-dimensional antagonist, not compelling at all.

I liked the writing and plot, but that is never really enough for me to truly enjoy a book, which is why this has a low rating for me.

The characters make or break a book for me, and there wasn’t enough growth and depth in the characters in this book for me.

UNTIL WE SHATTER is an exhilarating heist novel.

I love heist stories - the obstacles in the way that need clever work arounds, the fact that the obstacles only increase as the book continues (at least one additional set the fault of the protagonist!) It's such a fun premise and this book delivers on it. Break into the most secure place in the city, past a bunch of magical traps, and get out without the religious fanatics capturing you. And also deal with the shifty person employing you.

I really liked the cast. This is a gang of misfits who have come together to survive and now get on very well. It is a found family, except it doesn't end the way the trope usually does (which I liked - I love books that have real cost and this one acknowledges what the sheer amount of lying and bad decisions would do to people.)

The magic is a lot of fun too, described by colours but operating in a shadow-y world where there is no colour. A world that can literally shatter you in pieces, which was horrifying and a very nice limitation/price put into the magical world. Without spoilers, the threshold idea that came out of that leads to some great lines and way of framing certain moments.

Chapter 24 has got a reputation for being the most emotionally devastating, a reputation it well deserves. (And then to end the chapter with the book title? Very much a mic-drop moment.) Yet it is only the first of the "all goes wrong" moments that take the book rushing towards a pretty epic finale where the stakes only get higher and the trust thinner.

Like the author's debut series, MINDWALKER, UNTIL WE SHATTER is a standalone with a companion book coming. This book has a complete story and the next book will also standalone, though I'm hoping it will take place in the aftermath of this one as the situation this book unleashes could be a lot of fun to play with.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

3.5 stars

Lots of mixed feelings about this one.

First of all, I found this book to be a really easy read. The author clearly knows her craft, because the writing is well-executed, with every sentence flowing seamlessly into the next. She does an excellent job of portraying everything the MC, Cemmy, was feeling in the moment, it felt like I was right there with her.

The pacing felt really fast, but also kind of slow at the same time? The characters spend a lot of time planning out the heist, with the heist taking place in the last ~25% of the book, but at the same time, they are constantly rushing around doing stuff.

I feel rather conflicted about the characters. I appreciate how much the characters (mainly Cemmy) mess up and miscommunicate, as it feels realistic for a bunch of 19 y/os, but at the same time, it's so frustrating.

I also have... thoughts. About the magic system. Actually, less so about the magic system, and more about how it's introduced and explained. I think the author does a good job of interweaving the exposition within the narrative; however, it's impossible not to notice the chunks of paragraphs dedicated to explaining things to the reader. You also get thrown right into the action from Chapter One, so the reader has to keep up with the action + learn how the magic works at the same time, which can make things kind of hectic. I didn't immediately grasp how the magic worked from the first chapter, though I found it to be immediately intriguing, but I did manage to sort of grasp it about 25% in.

Beyond the magic system, there's world-building politics to learn, which just. It's a lot to have to figure out. While I find the author did an alright job with this, I can definitely understand if other readers struggle with this aspect.

Regardless, I found this to be an enjoyable, interesting read for the most part.

I had the opportunity to read Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan which releases TOMORROW October 17, 2024! 🎨

Shout out to @hodderbooks, Hodder Publicity, @netgalley and @thekatedylan for ARC of this book!

This is one of those books that left me wanting more. I’m unwell most of the time, but this book truly left me unwell in the best way possible. I know it’s a stand alone, but I wouldn’t hate if you wrote a sequel @thekatedylan ..just saying.

I very much loved this magic system. There are certain colors that result in you having a specific form of magic. You then use this magic within the “Gray” which I believe is like a parallel realm within the universe?! Not 100% sure of the specifics, but I ate it up.

We follow a small cast of characters who are forced into a heist to help save the world in which they live. I loved Cemmy and her band of friends and really found myself captivated the entire novel. Fans of found family this one is for you!

I haven’t read Six or Crows, but I know it’s been compared to that novel. I feel strongly that if you like action, unique magic, and a fast pace then you should check this one out!

ALSO, swoon, look at the cover! I will be ordering a physical copy immediately 😍
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🏷️ #newrelease #newfantasy #netgalley #arcreview #untilweshatter #heist #romantasy #bookcommunity #bookish #bookstagram

DNF 28%

I'm sorry, but this book just wasn't it. I could not get invested enough in the characters or the world to care about what happens next. The magic system tried and failed to be interesting, and the prose couldn't save it.

The whole concept seemed interesting in theory, but the story is just a combo of cliches and confusing worldbuilding.

2.75 stars, Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to a heist fantasy, but it does overcomplicate the magic system and leave you with under-developed characters. This one wasn't for me, I fear.