Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan | Book Review

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Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan
Series: Until We Shatter #1
Published by Hodderscape on October 17, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance, LGBT
Pages: 319
Format: Hardback
Source: Illumicrate

Content Warnings: Death, Alcohol Use, Parental Illness, Blood, Light Gore, Blackmail, Torture
Rating:

A desperate thief. An impossible heist. Survive . . . or shatter. No matter where she goes, Cemmy's life is under threat. The Church would see her killed for having any magic. The Council of Shades wants her dead for not having enough. So when her mother falls ill, Cemmy has no choice but to turn thief. And when she's offered a job that could solve all their problems, it's impossible to resist. The catch? Cemmy will have to work with Chase - beautiful, dangerous, and full of secrets - to steal a powerful relic the Church has hidden within a deadly realm of shadows. If she succeeds, Cemmy will finally be safe. But if she's caught, she risks igniting a spark that could destroy the city - and everyone inside . . .

First of all, I am not a huge fan of the heist trope. I am not sure why it always rubs me the wrong way, but it is rare for me to enjoy a story about stealing, even if the stealing is "justified." Time and time again, someone betrays the team for selfish reasons, things crumble right when success is within reach, and innocent people often pay a terrible price for nothing.

"And when power is afraid, you can always trust it to make the most morally bankrupt choice."

Until We Shatter is certainly a unique take on the heist trope, with our motley crew using an alternate reality to steal from an oppressive religious government that is seeking to eradicate magic and everyone capable of doing magic. The parallels between the trials and tribulations faced by Shades and Hues, those with the ability to use magic, and what modern-day Palestinians face are uncanny. We have an outside government using religion and colonialism to genocide an entire group of people. The Shades and Hues were essentially rounded up and forced to live in only certain parts of the city, a city they helped found and start, and then deprived of food, clean water, medicine, and stability, all under the guise of religious purity and supposed violence. The Church constantly tries to incite violence (which is really just self-defense) from the Shades in an attempt to take away even more of their land and freedoms. Sound familiar?

This subtext was excellently executed, with gorgeous prose to boot. Dylan is certainly a gifted writer, constructing sentences in such a way as to keep the reader fully engaged and emersed in the text. However, while she is strong in language, she is not strong in world-building or character development.

The first half of the book felt like a brain dump of facts about the world and its magic system. The magic system was so convoluted it was often hard to keep up with the powers possessed by each type of Shade and Hue. This book would have benefited greatly from an Appendix that included a chart of all the possible combinations and their powers. After a while, I was able to put together the basics, but I did give up trying to remember every single detail. It was confusing and complicated for no other reason than to be extra. It's okay to have complicated magic systems, but when they are poorly done, it takes away from the entire experience.

Furthermore, I didn't particularly connect with all of our characters. I was rooting for them because I wanted them to take down an oppressive system, but I wasn't so attached that I cried when they were injured or killed. That is a failure on Dylan's part for sure. The heist trope relies on readers falling in love with the characters—that is what makes the book high stakes, but it was lacking here. However, there was both bisexual and deaf representation, both of which were beautifully integrated into the story. I am a sucker for good representation.

Overall, Until We Shatter was just fine. I had my heartstrings pulled a time or two and cared enough to finish, but it's not necessarily a series I think I will continue. Book 2 looks like it is taking a very different turn away from the original story, so I may give it a chance, but I am not overly enthusiastic about it. This is the perfect book to cleanse your palate or bump up your monthly reading count in a pinch.

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven | Book Review

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Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
Published by Wednesday Books on March 4, 2025
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance, LGBT
Pages: 352
Format: Hardback
Source: OwlCrate

Content Warnings: Ableism, Racism, Sexism, Classism, Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse, Suicide, Blood, Forced Institutionalization, Death, Torture, Kidnapping, Cancer
Rating:

They've loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They've killed each other in every one. Evelyn can remember all her past lives. She can also remember that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being linked to her soul. The problem is that she’s quite fond of the life she’s in now, and her little sister needs her in order to stay alive. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she’ll have to find the centuries-old devil who hunts her through each life before they find her first, figure out why she’s being hunted and finally break their curse, and try not to fall in love . . . again.

Our Infinite Fates is a love story that transcends time and space; a yearning that will leave you breathless in the best way possible. Despite how much I loved this story, there was a moment Steven lost me, but she was able to suck me back in right at the very end.

Our Infinite Fates alternates through time, with some chapters taking place in modern day and others occurring in the past. Honestly, I could have skipped the present-day story, which played too much of a central focus in my opinion, and just followed this pair of souls across time and space. I felt the same way while reading Paula Brackston's The Witch's Daughter, preferring the historical parts of the story. That isn't to say the modern story isn't interesting or worthy of reading; it just didn't pique my fascination as much as the past did.

“I love you, I have loved you, and I will love you.”

Steven does an amazing job showing reincarnation and how souls change as time wears on, being reborn in multiple bodies of all colors, shapes, sizes, genders, and nationalities. The fluidity of the characters' souls was so beautiful, with them both finding each other in every lifetime, no matter what society dictated. Tragically, both souls have to die in every lifetime before the age of 18 due to a mysterious curse. This curse looms over their entire existence, a curse only one of them can remember, but will take both of them to break.

The suspense and impending doom, the resignation in Arden (the current incarnation of the soul who remembers), and the longing to be together left my heart both racing and in shambles. Steven really does know how to suck a reader into a story, but the twist was so awkwardly done that it pulled me out of the story.

Obviously, Our Infinite Fates has fantastical elements, and the twist certainly leaned heavily into fantasy, particularly religious doctrine. What angered me the most, however, was Arden's absolute refusal to give our protagonist any information throughout multiple lifetimes. I understand they had been burned in the past, but as a reader looking in, I was absolutely frustrated by the lack of information and their coldness. When Arden is finally forced to reveal the truth, things have gone so sideways in the story that it doesn't matter anymore.

Steven lost me with the fantastical subplot that occurs after their death, but the last chapter sucked me back in, offering an alternate explanation to the curse and the fate of our protagonists. It was this last chapter that sucked me back in and left me breathless. Ultimately, however, I was left wanting more; more history, more understanding, more timeless yearning, more true love and affection, more characterization...just...more. I would love to see Steven tell the story of their beginning, and maybe even give some more details of the past. 

Despite the lack of plot, Steven's writing is fantastic. She does an amazing job leaving the reader in the dark as we follow a largely unreliable narrator, with beautiful prose and even some excellent one-liners. I loved the souls' vows to each other so much that I incorporated “I love you, I have loved you, and I will love you" into my own wedding vows.

"Translation in a colonized state is an act of violence..."

Furthermore, Steven begins to address some cultural issues facing different groups of people, as seen in the quote above, but never dives deep into any of these issues. While I appreciate the subtext, it would have been more meaningful if the plot engaged such issues. Ultimately, Our Infinite Fates was just okay. It is not the best book I've read or the worst.

The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna | Book Review

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The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna
Series: Deathless #3
Published by Delacorte Press on February 13, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexism, Misogyny, Body Horror, Racism, Death, Disownment, Torture, Mutilation, Starvation, Trauma, Sexual Violence, Death of Parent
Rating:

Mere weeks after confronting the Gilded Ones—the false beings she once believed to be her family—Deka is on the hunt. In order to kill the gods, whose ravenous competition for power is bleeding Otera dry, she must uncover the source of her divinity. But with her mortal body on the verge of ruin, Deka is running out of time—to save herself and an empire that’s tearing itself apart at its seams. When Deka’s search leads her and her friends to the edge of the world as they know it, they discover an astonishing new realm, one which holds the key to Deka’s past. Yet it also illuminates a devastating decision she must soon make… Choose to be reborn as a god, losing everyone she loves in the process. Or bring about the end of the world.

The Eternal Ones is the epic conclusion to Forna's Deathless series and did it go out with a bang! The final book is fast-paced, engaging, character and plot-driven; basically everything you want in a book. Forna's writing developed beautifully over the course of this series, culminating in a fantastical conclusion that left my jaw on the floor and my eyes welling with tears.

“I realize that fate isn't just due to some remote deity pushing a poor mortal toward an outcome that they wished. Fate also happens because an individual pushes themselves, pulls the threads of the universe a little their way.”

I do not want to give away the plot or spoilers in this series, but I will say this; the final twist was beautifully done, with Deka pulling on the threads of fate to rewrite the course of history. I am not going to say it is shocking or comes out of nowhere (the story leads us to the final conclusions effortlessly), but it was a beautiful turn of events. The final couple of scenes broke my heart into a million pieces...for the girls, the gods, and everyone involved in our story. Sometimes we are faced with impossible decisions and hardships and must find a way back into the light. Deka certainly does just that.

I loved watching our diverse group of characters really grow into their own, as their relationships with each other blossomed into such fierce loyalty, no matter what hardships they faced. The love they shared for each other, both familial and not, were so well done. I actually felt like I was there, witnessing these kids grow up. Forna shows young readers what friendship actually means and it was wonderful to behold.

“I've never needed you, Keita ... But I've always wanted you. More than anything, I've wanted you ... You're not a need, Keita, you're not an obligation to me. What you are is my happiness, my delight. When I didn't believe that there was good in the world, there was you. You're my comfort and joy, and I hope I'm the same for you.”

While the love between Deka and Keita felt clunky in the first book, by the time we reach the ending of of the Deathless series it felt natural. It was a love to make the whole world jealous; a love born out of shared mutual respect and trust, not just desire or need. Keita is everything a woman wants in a partner: helpful, devoted, honest, emotionally intelligent, and selfless. He is the epitome of "if he wanted to he would."

Above all else, I love Forna's commentary on the patriarchy, feminism, and community. In the end, it took the entire village to bring about a better and brighter future, where people are free to love and exist in their truest forms. No longer were women or men subservient to the other, but instead equal on the playing field of life. We also see the strength of women together, and how even the patriarchy could not turn them against each other as it so often does in our own society. Young people need more books modeling such love and respect; even some adults need it. The Eternal Ones is an absolute masterclass in empathy.

Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes | Book Review

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Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes
Published by One More Chapter on February 27, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: The Forbidden Wing

Content Warnings: PTSD, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Sickness, Attempted Suicide, Sexual Assault, Kidnapping, Imprisonment, Infidelity
Rating:

Kit Arton-Price should be celebrating. It's his engagement party and, unlike many young men of his generation, he survived The Great War. Whilst his fiancée, Adelaide, is dancing with one of their guests, the enigmatic Mr Wilde, the scars on Kit's face bear the heavy toll of battle – and the scars on his heart bear a secret he's been forced to carry in silence. In the morning, Adelaide cannot be woken and the village doctor declares it's the mystifying 'Sleeping Sickness' – an unexplainable epidemic affecting society. But there is more to this sickness than first appears and it's not long before Kit is lured into a strange new realm. One of magic and danger. The realm of the fae…

Sigh...I was so looking forward to my first month's subscription of The Forbidden Wing by The Locked Library, which included Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes. The original and new cover designs were great, the story sounded right up my alley, and it included faeries. Sounds like a win-win, right? Unfortunately, not so much. I'm not going to say I hated Dance with the Fae, but it wasn't great either. Let's start with what I liked.

First, I loved all of the characters and their development. Hobbes did an excellent job creating three-dimensional characters that felt both real and otherworldly at the same time. Not all characters are lovable, but their story and quest still felt important to me, despite my reservations. It takes an author who knows their craft to create such an attachment to even unlovable characters. Kit was my favorite by far, representing the bisexual community at a time when such proclivities could get you killed.

Not only do we have excellent and tastefully done queer-rep that added to the story and character development, but also PTSD representation that, again, added to the story and character development. As the granddaughter, sister, and wife of war veterans, I have firsthand experience with the trials and tribulations of PTSD. Authors often get it wrong, using what they see in the media to fuel their own imaginations. It's not always zoning out and screaming and nightmares; it's also the all-consuming guilt, the unregulated emotions, the racing brain, the debilitating anxiety. Kit perfectly encapsulates the nuances of PTSD in a real and meaningful way.

While the overall story was fine and cute, the pacing was not. There were times events moved at a snail's pace, slugging along endlessly, while important moments seemed to fly by in a heartbeat. Maybe this was done because time flows differently in the Otherworld, but it seems more like a failure on Hobbes' part than a plot device. The entire book is building up to what should be an "epic" battle that determines the fate of two worlds, but instead it lasts, what?...three pages? It was a little longer than that, but you get my drift.

I didn't mind that parts felt crazy or weird, because that is the point of the Otherworld, but I did care that the story's pacing was so off that it detracted from everything else. Poor pacing can destroy an entire book, and it certainly did that here. Maybe it won't for you.

Overall, Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth Hobbes was just okay. It was certainly disappointing as the first book in a new-to-me subscription box, but it did make for a quick palate cleanser all the same.

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna | Book Review

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The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
Series: Deathless #2
Published by Delacorte Press on May 31, 2022
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 464
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexism, Misogyny, Body Horror, Racism, Death, Disownment, Torture, Mutilation, Starvation, Trauma, Sexual Violence, Death of Parent
Rating:

It's been six months since Deka freed the goddesses in the ancient kingdom of Otera and discovered who she really is... but war is waging across the kingdom, and the real battle has only just begun. For there is a dark force growing in Otera—a merciless power that Deka and her army must stop. Yet hidden secrets threaten to destroy everything Deka has known. And with her own gifts changing, Deka must discover if she holds the key to saving Otera... or if she might be its greatest threat.

There is a definite improvement in Forna's writing in the second book of the Deathless series, The Merciless Ones, which takes place six months after the events of book one. Despite the improvement in the overall writing, this is the weakest book in the trilogy.

I read all three books back-to-back, so there was no time for me to forget what had happened in previous books, but The Merciless Ones made me feel like I had missed something incredibly important in The Gilded Ones. Suddenly, our ragtag team of rebels is looking for Arcane objects of great power, and we, as readers, are just expected to know what they are and why they are important. Forna eventually gives us a little bit of background knowledge on these objects, but otherwise, we are thrown into the ocean without a life jacket and expected to swim. I did not like this shift from book one, and the objects felt as if they were contrived simply to drive the plot in the direction Forna eventually wanted it to go. I think mentioning these arcane objects in the first book would have been beneficial, so it wasn't so abrupt in book two.

Thankfully, I felt the pacing was better in The Merciless Ones compared to The Gilded Ones, where the story had fits and starts. The Merciless Ones was incredibly fast paced, introducing and fleshing out the world and characters of Otera along the way. Our cast of characters greatly expands in book two, but Forna does such a great job fleshing out their backstories and personalities that I had no problem keeping track of everyone. Sometimes there are so many side characters I get lost in the sauce, but that wasn't the case here.

Furthermore, Forna expands on the themes of trauma and our response to it. Several of our girls have experienced terrible cruelties that have influenced and driven their futures. These horrors are introduced in a tasteful way, and we work through these events with the characters to grow and expand with them. I loved the commentary on mental health, trauma, and overcoming adversity, and felt it helped me connect with each of the characters in a more meaningful way.

However, I liked Deka, our main character, less in this book than in the previous one. She is so overpowered, with new powers arriving at just the right moment, that the story sometimes felt contrived. On top of this, Deka is so confused and unsure of her own power that she is often insufferable. Everyone else seems to be growing and maturing, but Deka is stuck in this perpetual state of childhood. Because of this, the love story takes a backseat, which I was fine with. However, there are enough cute moments between Deka and Keita to keep the love alive. It felt more real in The Merciless Ones than it did previously. 

“There’s nothing worse than ordinary men.”

Despite the inherent flaws, I loved Forna's commentary on misogyny and the patriarchy. While there is certainly a twist at the end that shifts some of the blame, it's obvious the current oppressive system is entirely the fault of ordinary men thinking they are something great. Forna's representation of the patriarchy and its harms is a perfect overlay with our current world. I'm all for eating terrible men, and Forna certainly ate. On top of this, we get a variety of queer characters, humor, friendship, and female-bonding. At the end of the day, it's Deka's relationship with the women in her life that truly matters.