Shattered Veil

by Nika Vyre

Selen thought she and her sister, Sidra, were safe in the protection of the world renowned academy of magic, Celestara—until the night Sidra vanished. Now, Selen is forced to chase whispers of a captor who wields magic far beyond her own, one who has bound the sisters to a purpose they do not understand.But finding Sidra is only half the battle. A shattering event left them both broken, their connection severed, their powers unbalanced. Selen’s magic should have tied her to Sidra—but instead, it haunts her, unraveling memories she cannot face and revealing a darkness she barely understands. As she fights to find her sister, she isn’t just battling those who stand in her way—she’s battling the demons that haunt the depths of her mind.

518 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2025

Reviews

[Brit Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Veil is SUCH a strong debut for Nika Vyre; I never would have guessed that this was her first novel. The world she’s built is dark, mysterious, and beautifully unsettling. This is the kind of story that gives you chills one minute and makes you laugh the next. Her writing is vivid and full of emotion and relatability.

The main character, Selen, completely pulled me in. Watching her step out of her sheltered upbringing and realize how little she truly knows about the world hit close to home. It’s equal parts relatable and heartbreaking. The mix of dark romance, danger, and magic gives this story such an addictive energy, and the steamy sapphic scenes were incredibly well written. They were sexy without being forced, and emotionally honest. Also…who knew I’d be into knives?! 🥵

There are plenty of loose ends and little hints scattered throughout, and it’s clear Nika is setting up something much bigger in this world. The epilogue and book 2 teaser have me ITCHING for the next in the series!

[Madison Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Veil is a dark blend of magic, academia, and slow-burn romance and from the prologue to the end, I was hooked! The heroine Celestara is strong and passionate yet relatable and easy to root for. I appreciate the unique representation of magic as well as the hidden gems within the world building and I'm intrigued to see how it develops! I really enjoyed this book - I need the second one to be out right now!

[Ali Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I read a lot of Romantasy and this book was super creative and fun. I read it in two days. I’m psyched to read the next book to learn even more about Selen and Sidra and their powers. Great spice level too if that’s you’re into. Very fast paced - always something exciting happening, whether it’s action or learning something about their past. If you like Zodiac Academy, Ascended, Throne of Glass or One Dark Window, then I think you’ll love this book. It had a lot of great twists - especially at the end that I did not see coming. I hope the next one comes out soon as I have so many theories! It also had a lot of creative elements that I hadn’t seen before in the hundreds of Romantasy novels I’ve read which I loved. It’s more psychological too than most I’ve read which is cool and puts it in its own category. Definitely check it out!! You will not be sorry!!

[Madison Moen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful debut from an author who was able to covey the complex feelings of finding oneself amidst the expectations and pressures imposed by oneself and those around them.

Nika has created a world of magic that leaves the reader yearning to learn more alongside the characters themselves.

The story will have you questioning what you truly know about the characters, their motivations, and what they would truly do for power.

Our main character offers a mirror to those who are on a journey (by choice or not) to forge their own path and fight for what they deserve.

Shattered Veil is just the beginning in an exciting quest for love, power, and knowledge. The question is, which will come out on top?

[thedirtychapters · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 .5⭐️ 1🌶
" The stars shine brighter in the presence of darkness."
This was a romantasy, sapphic romance in an academy setting with a very unique magic system. This book was a complete surprise to me. I had no idea what it would be like and I'm so incredibly happy that I picked it up. The complex characters and their relationships to each other were very well developed and had me completely invested in their story. There were some twists and turns that had me surprised and yelling at the book enough that I wanted to toss it across the room, I was able to resist (I mean its a physical signed copy and would have been mad at myself if I had) It did end on a cliffhanger thats running my sleep and I need the second one to come out like NOW!!

[Christina Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an engaging story!

The difficult family dynamics, bonds of sisterhood, magic school setting, and a magic system that unfolds as you read. It's one of my favorite parts of this book because there is NO INFO DUMPING. You learn right alongside our main character, Selen, experiencing everything through her thoughts and feelings. It's truly what made the story so special!

Even the romance, while not my typical, was so tastefully done. Very impressed with the flow, storyline, character development, and world that Vyre created with this one.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The start to an amazing series! The beginning was a slower start as the author is explaining the backstory, introducing characters, etc. However, she did a good job of keeping me looped in with humor and banter between the characters. The ending is everything I wanted and more. Plus one of the steamy scenes… worth waiting for most of the book.

Looking forward to book 2. Wish it was already out!

[Krista Drummond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I found myself thinking about it when I put it down and will definitely be reading book two. A few grammer snags, but I really appreciated this authors voice. I felt like their characters asked the questions I wanted them to investigate, which was very satisfying. I also really loved the word choice and the way the author chose to describe things or thoughts, very efficient but prose-y; I loved.

[Savanah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shattered Veil was such a fun read. To me, the vibes were giving something like Zodiac Academy meets Anathema. This gothic fantasy has quick world building and development, making it an easy book to get immersed into right off the bat. Selen and Sidra have such an interesting sisterly dynamic and it will be really interesting to see how their relationship changes and develops in book 2. (Also, the cover art is GORGEOUS!)

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one hell of a debut! Gallatin Valley’s own Nika Vyre’s world is complex, complete and beautifully thought out. The magic is fascinating, the story is gripping and the whole thing is suffused with a dry dark humor that I have a feeling is going to be a trademark in Vyre’s work. Can’t wait for book two!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vyre’s debut novel tackles difficult subjects from fraught sisterhood and self discovery, all while building a complex world of magic. I CANNOT wait for the second in the series and to see where Nikka takes our FMC next!