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nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
An immersive fantasy involving dragons! (And who doesn’t love dragons?) Maren has let her life and plans revolve around her girlfriend Kaia. She sees Kaia as the stronger, more vibrant of the two of them. But when Kaia is taken away by the emperor’s prophets, Maren takes it upon herself to rescue her—suddenly she has no one else to rely upon. My favorite aspect of this book is how Maren learns to trust in her own strengths and abilities. I also appreciated the bi representation (though I’m not 100% sure how I felt about the love triangle setup—or the idea that’s hinted at that Maren could possibly end up with both of them? I guess I will have to see how things come together in the next book). Overall, I would say this book felt a bit like setup, but I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and learning about the way that Maren is connected to the dragons. I was also a fan of Sev and his passion for rescuing the dragons from the emperor’s harsh treatment. I’m eager to see what the next book has in store!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
An immersive fantasy involving dragons! (And who doesn’t love dragons?) Maren has let her life and plans revolve around her girlfriend Kaia. She sees Kaia as the stronger, more vibrant of the two of them. But when Kaia is taken away by the emperor’s prophets, Maren takes it upon herself to rescue her—suddenly she has no one else to rely upon. My favorite aspect of this book is how Maren learns to trust in her own strengths and abilities. I also appreciated the bi representation (though I’m not 100% sure how I felt about the love triangle setup—or the idea that’s hinted at that Maren could possibly end up with both of them? I guess I will have to see how things come together in the next book). Overall, I would say this book felt a bit like setup, but I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and learning about the way that Maren is connected to the dragons. I was also a fan of Sev and his passion for rescuing the dragons from the emperor’s harsh treatment. I’m eager to see what the next book has in store!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
krystaldelusion's review
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Delightfully queer without batting an eye. A world where nobody is shunned because of their gender or sexuality. Decidedly absent of heteronormativity and cisnormativity. The story is pretty good too.
princessnata's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Exciting premise but i found the execution lacking. Some of the relationships didn’t feel earned, some situations had solutions that felt too easy or convenient for the sake of moving the story along. I listened to the audiobook and wish I had read the physical version instead. There were some good parts but overall I found it to be just alright.
tinynavajo's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley. This in no way affects my thoughts on the book or the following review.
An excellent start to a new series, I loved the main character Maren and how she leaves her village home to rescue the one she loves. As she goes through many trials and obstacles, she sees that there is more to the world that she first let herself see. We also see her grow and mature and become someone she never thought she would ever be. She is truly one of the best main characters I've read in a long time. If you like dragons, love, friendship, and standing for what is right, then you should consider picking up this book.
An excellent start to a new series, I loved the main character Maren and how she leaves her village home to rescue the one she loves. As she goes through many trials and obstacles, she sees that there is more to the world that she first let herself see. We also see her grow and mature and become someone she never thought she would ever be. She is truly one of the best main characters I've read in a long time. If you like dragons, love, friendship, and standing for what is right, then you should consider picking up this book.
kailaflick's review
3.0
This was...good. It’s a first time published novel and I think that comes across in the writing. I like the world that is being built and will be sure to see it through. The pacing and some of the characterization was a little off at some points, but overall, I finished this book in 3 sittings and enjoyed it. Will read the sequel.
thelasagna's review
5.0
Wow. The most Imaginative take on dragons I’ve ever read. I truly loved this book with all my heart.
sidneyellwood's review
3.0
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I was so excited about reading Shatter the Sky. I mean, dragons? With a bisexual protagonist on a frantic mission to get back her girlfriend? And while a lot of what I was hoping for delivered as promised, there were a lot of parts that made the book a lot slower than I would have liked.
In general, I liked Maren and her narration; she's enjoyable to read about, with a streak of determination a mile wide. Yet she's also your typical Chosen One, despite the attempt Shatter the Sky makes to subvert the trope. Everything works out very well for Maren and her abilities precisely because she is the Chosen One, which is all good, but a lot of Maren't storyline felt quite unrealistic for me.
Another thing that I wasn't fond of was, despite the whole plot being Maren aiming to take back her girlfriend, the set-up between Sev and Maren. To me, it seemed to come out of left field, something very odd for a protagonist whose main motivation was to rescue Kaia from the Aurati, and who initially sees meeting Sev as more of a means to that end. Of course, I'm thrilled by the bi rep. But I was really looking forwards to an f/f book, and to have Kaia be in so little of the book was a bit of a letdown for me, and I definitely wanted more depth to their relationship--as well as all of Maren's relationships.
I did find the worldbuilding quite fascinating, and it was definitely one of the strongest parts of the story. The magic system was not at all typical for fantasy, which I appreciated. I was really into learning about the Aromatory and the Aurati.
The pacing, however, was probably my biggest problem with the book, especially once it hit the fortress--it really started to drag, and I couldn't keep interested afterwards. There was so much of the world I wanted to see that interested me - the dragons, the Aurati, the dynamics between the main empire and Maren's hometown - but ultimately it wasn't explored as much as I would have liked.
Even though this book may not have been my particular cup of tea, it's still definitely worth a read. If you're looking for some good bi rep, or if you're a particular fan of dragon fantasy, go ahead and check it out!
I was so excited about reading Shatter the Sky. I mean, dragons? With a bisexual protagonist on a frantic mission to get back her girlfriend? And while a lot of what I was hoping for delivered as promised, there were a lot of parts that made the book a lot slower than I would have liked.
In general, I liked Maren and her narration; she's enjoyable to read about, with a streak of determination a mile wide. Yet she's also your typical Chosen One, despite the attempt Shatter the Sky makes to subvert the trope. Everything works out very well for Maren and her abilities precisely because she is the Chosen One, which is all good, but a lot of Maren't storyline felt quite unrealistic for me.
Another thing that I wasn't fond of was, despite the whole plot being Maren aiming to take back her girlfriend, the set-up between Sev and Maren. To me, it seemed to come out of left field, something very odd for a protagonist whose main motivation was to rescue Kaia from the Aurati, and who initially sees meeting Sev as more of a means to that end. Of course, I'm thrilled by the bi rep. But I was really looking forwards to an f/f book, and to have Kaia be in so little of the book was a bit of a letdown for me, and I definitely wanted more depth to their relationship--as well as all of Maren's relationships.
I did find the worldbuilding quite fascinating, and it was definitely one of the strongest parts of the story. The magic system was not at all typical for fantasy, which I appreciated. I was really into learning about the Aromatory and the Aurati.
The pacing, however, was probably my biggest problem with the book, especially once it hit the fortress--it really started to drag, and I couldn't keep interested afterwards. There was so much of the world I wanted to see that interested me - the dragons, the Aurati, the dynamics between the main empire and Maren's hometown - but ultimately it wasn't explored as much as I would have liked.
Even though this book may not have been my particular cup of tea, it's still definitely worth a read. If you're looking for some good bi rep, or if you're a particular fan of dragon fantasy, go ahead and check it out!
tmleblanc's review against another edition
3.0
DRAGONS!
STRONG FEMALES!
We don't need men to rescue us!
(Why does this have to be a series? WHY AREN'T ALL THE BOOK OUT NOW!?)
I really did enjoy reading Shatter the Sky. The history of the world was easy to learn. I enjoyed the relationship building and Maren's dedication to Kala. I can't wait to read more book in this series.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
STRONG FEMALES!
We don't need men to rescue us!
(Why does this have to be a series? WHY AREN'T ALL THE BOOK OUT NOW!?)
I really did enjoy reading Shatter the Sky. The history of the world was easy to learn. I enjoyed the relationship building and Maren's dedication to Kala. I can't wait to read more book in this series.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
heliopteryx's review
This is a middle grade book. I saw it on LGBT+ book lists that also had adult books, so I didn't realize this was not what I was looking for until I got it from the library. I imagine a 12 year old would love it.