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Shatter the Sky #1
Shatter the Sky
New England Book Award Finalist
“A top-notch dragon story…Both nuanced and real.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“I absolutely devoured it.” —Mackenzi Lee, bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
“Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Renée Ahdieh, and Cindy Pon.” —Saundra Mitchell, author of All the Things We Do in the Dark and editor of YA anthology All Out
A determined young woman sets out to rescue her kidnapped girlfriend by stealing a dragon from the corrupt emperor in this stunning fantasy debut that’s perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
Raised among the ruins of a conquered mountain nation, Maren dreams only of sharing a quiet life with her girlfriend Kaia—until the day Kaia is abducted by the Aurati, prophetic agents of the emperor, and forced to join their ranks. Desperate to save her, Maren hatches a plan to steal one of the emperor’s coveted dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold.
If Maren is to have any hope of succeeding, she must become an apprentice to the Aromatory—the emperor’s mysterious dragon trainer. But Maren is unprepared for the dangerous secrets she uncovers: rumors of a lost prince, a brewing rebellion, and a prophecy that threatens to shatter the empire itself. Not to mention the strange dreams she’s been having about a beast deep underground…
With time running out, can Maren survive long enough to rescue Kaia from impending death? Or could it be that Maren is destined for something greater than she could have ever imagined?
“A top-notch dragon story…Both nuanced and real.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“I absolutely devoured it.” —Mackenzi Lee, bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
“Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Renée Ahdieh, and Cindy Pon.” —Saundra Mitchell, author of All the Things We Do in the Dark and editor of YA anthology All Out
A determined young woman sets out to rescue her kidnapped girlfriend by stealing a dragon from the corrupt emperor in this stunning fantasy debut that’s perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
Raised among the ruins of a conquered mountain nation, Maren dreams only of sharing a quiet life with her girlfriend Kaia—until the day Kaia is abducted by the Aurati, prophetic agents of the emperor, and forced to join their ranks. Desperate to save her, Maren hatches a plan to steal one of the emperor’s coveted dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold.
If Maren is to have any hope of succeeding, she must become an apprentice to the Aromatory—the emperor’s mysterious dragon trainer. But Maren is unprepared for the dangerous secrets she uncovers: rumors of a lost prince, a brewing rebellion, and a prophecy that threatens to shatter the empire itself. Not to mention the strange dreams she’s been having about a beast deep underground…
With time running out, can Maren survive long enough to rescue Kaia from impending death? Or could it be that Maren is destined for something greater than she could have ever imagined?
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2019
64 people are currently reading
7803 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Kim Wells
9 books189 followersRebecca Kim Wells is the author of Shatter the Sky, Storm the Earth, and Briar Girls.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews
zzzzz-coverporn-etc
October 10, 2018being gay is about stealing a dragon to save your girlfriend from a corrupt empire
dnf
February 21, 2020sapphic girls and dragons???
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh????
this was written with me, specifically, in mind so just go ahead and jot that down
Update 02/20/2020:
Welp. DNF at chapter 4, possibly my fastest ever DNF. I’ve been going through this unfortunate thing recently where I just can’t get into YA fantasy. I keep putting it all off because every introductory part sounds exactly the same as most other books of the same genre/age group. Maybe this would be a fine read, but ultimately this is a book I could tell right away was going to be a 3 star read and I just don’t have the mental energy to dedicate myself to reading a whole book that is forgettable and only so-so.
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh????
this was written with me, specifically, in mind so just go ahead and jot that down
Update 02/20/2020:
Welp. DNF at chapter 4, possibly my fastest ever DNF. I’ve been going through this unfortunate thing recently where I just can’t get into YA fantasy. I keep putting it all off because every introductory part sounds exactly the same as most other books of the same genre/age group. Maybe this would be a fine read, but ultimately this is a book I could tell right away was going to be a 3 star read and I just don’t have the mental energy to dedicate myself to reading a whole book that is forgettable and only so-so.
October 7, 2020
3.50 Stars. This was a pretty good story. It feels more on the surface and not as deep as I was hoping for, but I read through it very fast. I didn’t know much about this series going in except for Sapphic and DRAGONS which was enough for me. I’m reading the sequel in a few days so I had to read this one to catch up. I liked this but I didn’t love it like I was hoping to.
The main premise of this story is about 17 year-old Maren losing her heartmate to a secretive society of women. Not much is known about what happens to the young women that are taken but they are never seen from again. Maren decides she must get Kaia back and what better way to go up against these powerful women but with a Dragon as back up. I actually loved that premise since dragon anything and you have me. And while it was annoying that Maren didn’t have much of a plan or know what she was doing, I still enjoyed the story anyway.
Maren is definitely a little Mary Sue-ish, but I don’t mind that so much. I thought I better mention it encase other people are bothered by that. She kind of bumbles along from living really sheltered, yet she is good at everything when it is needed. It also seems that practically everyone wants her. And this leads me to a part I was a little disappointed about. While this book was about saving her heartmate/girlfriend, I felt like I was reading the beginning of a het romance. And the guy that liked her was always either moody or injured, with no chemistry between them whatsoever, so I just did not get why it was building at all. This book was all about saving the girl love interest and I think book 2 is going to be all about saving the boy love interest. I guess I will see after I read it.
Now onto the important part, the dragons! Dragons were the best parts of the story by far. I wish there was even more dragons in this story and I hope book 2 is packed full. It was interesting reading about the training, though it was too short, and I loved the baby dragon. Also, the way the book ended, having to do with more dragons, made a great ending in my mind.
Overall, this was a good read but I wasn’t blown away. Parts of it reminded me of Maria V. Snyder’s Poison Study a little bit but the difference is that book instantly hooked me and I was captivated by that story. Where this book was nice and read fast, I just felt like I was a little disconnected and that this story didn’t move me as much. This book does end on a moderate cliffhanger so I’m glad to be reading the next book soon, I’m just a little worried since I don’t think I’m going to like where book 2 goes. Well who knows, I will keep an open mind and hope that book 2 is even better than this book.
The main premise of this story is about 17 year-old Maren losing her heartmate to a secretive society of women. Not much is known about what happens to the young women that are taken but they are never seen from again. Maren decides she must get Kaia back and what better way to go up against these powerful women but with a Dragon as back up. I actually loved that premise since dragon anything and you have me. And while it was annoying that Maren didn’t have much of a plan or know what she was doing, I still enjoyed the story anyway.
Maren is definitely a little Mary Sue-ish, but I don’t mind that so much. I thought I better mention it encase other people are bothered by that. She kind of bumbles along from living really sheltered, yet she is good at everything when it is needed. It also seems that practically everyone wants her. And this leads me to a part I was a little disappointed about. While this book was about saving her heartmate/girlfriend, I felt like I was reading the beginning of a het romance. And the guy that liked her was always either moody or injured, with no chemistry between them whatsoever, so I just did not get why it was building at all. This book was all about saving the girl love interest and I think book 2 is going to be all about saving the boy love interest. I guess I will see after I read it.
Now onto the important part, the dragons! Dragons were the best parts of the story by far. I wish there was even more dragons in this story and I hope book 2 is packed full. It was interesting reading about the training, though it was too short, and I loved the baby dragon. Also, the way the book ended, having to do with more dragons, made a great ending in my mind.
Overall, this was a good read but I wasn’t blown away. Parts of it reminded me of Maria V. Snyder’s Poison Study a little bit but the difference is that book instantly hooked me and I was captivated by that story. Where this book was nice and read fast, I just felt like I was a little disconnected and that this story didn’t move me as much. This book does end on a moderate cliffhanger so I’m glad to be reading the next book soon, I’m just a little worried since I don’t think I’m going to like where book 2 goes. Well who knows, I will keep an open mind and hope that book 2 is even better than this book.
January 21, 2024
rep: poc cast, bi mc, sapphic li, side sapphic character, side wlw parents
When people recommend Shatter the Sky as a sapphic fantasy novel, they’re very much right but at the same time, it doesn’t explain just how sapphic the book. We’re not used to being fed this well, and yet it’s exactly what we deserve.
The book opens with the (bi!) mc talking about how much she loves her girlfriend. That’s revolutionary. And that love is used as a catalyst for all future events. Quite literally nothing would happen, if Maren wasn’t in love with Kaia and wasn’t determined to do everything in her power to get back together.
If, like pretty much everyone else on the planet, you are charmed by stories of heroes rescuing the love of their life, but you’re also tired of reading about a male knight in a shining armor again and again - this is the book for you. It hits all the usual fantasy tropes, while also providing readers with a strong female protagonist.
This isn’t to say that it’s a predictable book, though! It manages to provide a breath of fresh air plot-wise as well. That’s actually a big strength of Shatter the Sky: while using well known tropes, it creates a brand new story & makes the reader realise things are not always what they seem. And that sometimes you need to grow up first, in order to fulfill your destiny.
(Also, there’s a mother of dragons here. Girls can have some dragons, as a treat.)
When people recommend Shatter the Sky as a sapphic fantasy novel, they’re very much right but at the same time, it doesn’t explain just how sapphic the book. We’re not used to being fed this well, and yet it’s exactly what we deserve.
The book opens with the (bi!) mc talking about how much she loves her girlfriend. That’s revolutionary. And that love is used as a catalyst for all future events. Quite literally nothing would happen, if Maren wasn’t in love with Kaia and wasn’t determined to do everything in her power to get back together.
If, like pretty much everyone else on the planet, you are charmed by stories of heroes rescuing the love of their life, but you’re also tired of reading about a male knight in a shining armor again and again - this is the book for you. It hits all the usual fantasy tropes, while also providing readers with a strong female protagonist.
This isn’t to say that it’s a predictable book, though! It manages to provide a breath of fresh air plot-wise as well. That’s actually a big strength of Shatter the Sky: while using well known tropes, it creates a brand new story & makes the reader realise things are not always what they seem. And that sometimes you need to grow up first, in order to fulfill your destiny.
(Also, there’s a mother of dragons here. Girls can have some dragons, as a treat.)
August 12, 2019
1/5 ⭐
I am DEVASTATED to say that I didn't like this book. It sounded so good and amazing but unfortunately I just couldn't and wanted to DNF it but it is a short book so I decided to continue reading it, my mistake. First, it did not feel like a YA book but more like a Middle Grade one. I didn't like the writing at all.
When I say that I'm sad for not enjoying this book, you have to trust me. It has dragons, queer characters (the MC is bisexual, we'll come back to that later), rebellion and DRAGONSyes, I said that already but I need more dragons in my life ok
First of all, I would like to say that the pacing in this book was very confusing and I looked like this the entire time:
I was just so confused because everything went really fast and then it slowed down but it was still fast so yeah I don't know what to say. This world could have been interesting, truly it has potential but I don't know, I just didn't really care about it. The plot was actually quite generic and didn't fit what this book was sold as. I mean, I was told I would get a badass girl riding on top of a dragon to save her girlfriend but I don't feel like this is what I got at all. Maren was kind of a Mary-Sue, not gonna lie. She knows nothing of life but knows everything at the same time and is the smartest in the roomeven though she isn't. Her character arc was nonexistent and oh GOD the bi rep. Girl. No. Please.
Can we please stop having bi characters fall in love with everyone that flirtsor do they, honestly with them? That's not how it works, thanks for coming to my TED talk. The characters in general acted very weird with each other to be very honest.
The only part I enjoyed was when the dragons were here. I'm a sucker for dragons GIVE US MORE DRAGONS, BOOK WORLD
So to conclude, this was really not a book for me and I'm so sad about it because it looked so promising .
My Bookstagram
I am DEVASTATED to say that I didn't like this book. It sounded so good and amazing but unfortunately I just couldn't and wanted to DNF it but it is a short book so I decided to continue reading it, my mistake. First, it did not feel like a YA book but more like a Middle Grade one. I didn't like the writing at all.
When I say that I'm sad for not enjoying this book, you have to trust me. It has dragons, queer characters (the MC is bisexual, we'll come back to that later), rebellion and DRAGONS
First of all, I would like to say that the pacing in this book was very confusing and I looked like this the entire time:
I was just so confused because everything went really fast and then it slowed down but it was still fast so yeah I don't know what to say. This world could have been interesting, truly it has potential but I don't know, I just didn't really care about it. The plot was actually quite generic and didn't fit what this book was sold as. I mean, I was told I would get a badass girl riding on top of a dragon to save her girlfriend but I don't feel like this is what I got at all. Maren was kind of a Mary-Sue, not gonna lie. She knows nothing of life but knows everything at the same time and is the smartest in the room
Can we please stop having bi characters fall in love with everyone that flirts
The only part I enjoyed was when the dragons were here. I'm a sucker for dragons GIVE US MORE DRAGONS, BOOK WORLD
So to conclude, this was really not a book for me and I'm so sad about it because it looked so promising .
My Bookstagram
Want to read
February 15, 2018book synopsis: girl steals a dragon to save her kidnapped girlfriend
release date: 2019
me: *sliding the author my life savings under the table* spring 2018
release date: 2019
me: *sliding the author my life savings under the table* spring 2018
December 17, 2019
The introduction to Shatter the Sky is absolutely adorable. We meet two girls, clearly in love, who are kissing in the woods. How cute right?! Sadly these two girls are almost immediately separated. Although that is the plot of Rebecca Kim Wells story; so I suppose it's hard to critic (lol). Unfortunately the remainder of the story isn't written as smoothly as the opening chapter. Many times Wells goes from stilted plot points to convenient happenings to confusing the heroine's goals throughout the 300 pages. And while there are dragons present they are perhaps not as prominently featured as many would like. Although I expect that will change into book 2 of the series.
Dragons
Yes, there are dragons. Yes, people ride them. No, I do not know anything more about dragon riding than you can assume in advance of reading this novel. At best we learn about dragon eggs and bonding humans to dragons. That is essentially it. I craved a lot more context and content about how they rode dragons, our lead gals plan to steal one (she has no plan ever which was annoying), and/or if dragons were inherently friendly or not. We get tidbits of the personality of some dragons (and some possible reasons why) throughout; but I never felt like I really understood the culture of dragon riding or the historical reasons for dragons being used the way they are (other than the usual boring reason of war).
Plot
The overall plot is cliche but works. Girl looses girlfriend to an enemy group, girl leaves home to venture to save girlfriend, girl determines she needs a dragon to win, girl meets boy on the way and girl does a bunch of things because conveniently events fall into place for her. Oh wait, that last one is perhaps not in well written books.
One of my top 3 pet peeves in any plot is convenience. If a lead character just 'happens' to find a trap door, secret entrance, stumble upon a conversation, or is in the perfect spot every time they turn around; then probably your story is too convenient. I'm okay with these things happening once in awhile; but not every time the lead leaves her room. I got excited at one point during the novel that maybe our lead gal had some bad luck... except that bad luck 'drops' her into the hands of the boy who leads her on her journey. *sigh* Convenience is very boring and takes away from the excitement and drama that unexpected happenings bring to a story.
Relationships
One nice thing about setting up our gal as a lesbian from the get-go is that the attractive boy she meets along her quest isn't a romantic factor. Instead he's just a friend. It mildly annoys me that he's still clearly gorgeous, special and affluent as though he was going to be a romantic interest; but then again I suppose that is just the formula of YA novels so I'll allow it.
I do like that Wells keeps the devotion and love of the lead gal for her girlfriend throughout. We often see our lead gal drawing strength from remembering why she is doing things and persevering because of the loving bond she has with her girlfriend. The devotion towards a lover is a wonderful change from many others YA books. It also (so far) ensures there is no love triangle! Always a plus in my books.
The Ending
Shatter the Sky is oddly written in that the beginning (minus chapter 1) is weaker than the end. Usually debut authors end up putting too much time into the beginning of a book and their endings suffer because of it. However Wells has a great ending. The writing style, pace and action all make the closure to this book really positive. However be aware, it is a series and there is a major cliffhanger.
Overall
I wouldn't be opposed to reading book 2 in Shatter the Sky series; but I doubt I'll go out of my way to get it. I'm interested to see what happens; but not dying to know. I'm also concerned that the convenient plot points will continue and the lack of dragon lore both items which are sure to annoy me if carried forward. But if Wells can capture the success of the ending of book 1 and build from it then book 2 would definitely be worth adding to the 'to be read' shelf.
All that said, for a debut YA novel, this is a decent read. I wouldn't discourage anyone whose interested in the premise from reading it; but it doesn't make my recommendations list either. Wells may be an author to watch in the future however as she is signed to Simon Schuster. There could be some great potential for her if she matures her plots and can replicate the narration pace of the end of the story throughout her future stories.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Dragons
Yes, there are dragons. Yes, people ride them. No, I do not know anything more about dragon riding than you can assume in advance of reading this novel. At best we learn about dragon eggs and bonding humans to dragons. That is essentially it. I craved a lot more context and content about how they rode dragons, our lead gals plan to steal one (she has no plan ever which was annoying), and/or if dragons were inherently friendly or not. We get tidbits of the personality of some dragons (and some possible reasons why) throughout; but I never felt like I really understood the culture of dragon riding or the historical reasons for dragons being used the way they are (other than the usual boring reason of war).
Plot
The overall plot is cliche but works. Girl looses girlfriend to an enemy group, girl leaves home to venture to save girlfriend, girl determines she needs a dragon to win, girl meets boy on the way and girl does a bunch of things because conveniently events fall into place for her. Oh wait, that last one is perhaps not in well written books.
One of my top 3 pet peeves in any plot is convenience. If a lead character just 'happens' to find a trap door, secret entrance, stumble upon a conversation, or is in the perfect spot every time they turn around; then probably your story is too convenient. I'm okay with these things happening once in awhile; but not every time the lead leaves her room. I got excited at one point during the novel that maybe our lead gal had some bad luck... except that bad luck 'drops' her into the hands of the boy who leads her on her journey. *sigh* Convenience is very boring and takes away from the excitement and drama that unexpected happenings bring to a story.
Relationships
One nice thing about setting up our gal as a lesbian from the get-go is that the attractive boy she meets along her quest isn't a romantic factor. Instead he's just a friend. It mildly annoys me that he's still clearly gorgeous, special and affluent as though he was going to be a romantic interest; but then again I suppose that is just the formula of YA novels so I'll allow it.
I do like that Wells keeps the devotion and love of the lead gal for her girlfriend throughout. We often see our lead gal drawing strength from remembering why she is doing things and persevering because of the loving bond she has with her girlfriend. The devotion towards a lover is a wonderful change from many others YA books. It also (so far) ensures there is no love triangle! Always a plus in my books.
The Ending
Shatter the Sky is oddly written in that the beginning (minus chapter 1) is weaker than the end. Usually debut authors end up putting too much time into the beginning of a book and their endings suffer because of it. However Wells has a great ending. The writing style, pace and action all make the closure to this book really positive. However be aware, it is a series and there is a major cliffhanger.
Overall
I wouldn't be opposed to reading book 2 in Shatter the Sky series; but I doubt I'll go out of my way to get it. I'm interested to see what happens; but not dying to know. I'm also concerned that the convenient plot points will continue and the lack of dragon lore both items which are sure to annoy me if carried forward. But if Wells can capture the success of the ending of book 1 and build from it then book 2 would definitely be worth adding to the 'to be read' shelf.
All that said, for a debut YA novel, this is a decent read. I wouldn't discourage anyone whose interested in the premise from reading it; but it doesn't make my recommendations list either. Wells may be an author to watch in the future however as she is signed to Simon Schuster. There could be some great potential for her if she matures her plots and can replicate the narration pace of the end of the story throughout her future stories.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Want to read
April 24, 2018put “her girlfriend” and “dragon” in the same sentence and that’s it. that’s it you got me
June 9, 2019
I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
An interesting worldbuilding and a perfect story for fans of The Dragon Prince, which was ultimately just a little too forgettable for me.
This book starts with a really great premise, a QPOC girl who decides to go save her girlfriend and undertakes a journey in a very interesting fantasy world with dragons that can bond to humans.
I thought the execution was okay for a debut, but if you've read a lot of fantasy books this will read a little too generic. The protagonist, Maren, is on a deadline to save her girlfriend, and yet we conveniently forget about the time issue for the time that it takes Maren to learn useful skills and important bits of worldbuilding and forge new friendships and relationships. Then time is suddenly relevant again and everything has to move forward rather fast. So, overall the pacing doesn't usually bother me and it didn't here, but it was definitely something I noticed. Some things were also very predictable, and all the foreshadowing was very obviously foreshadowing from the moment you read it and not 100 pages later when it actually became relevant. This is all just nitpicking and it's just something you notice if you've read a lot of books, like I said.
Probably my favorite part of the whole book was the dragon egg that reminded me so much of The Dragon Prince, one of my favorite shows. It was really cute.
Maren is a bi girl in an already established relationship with a girl, that will be the reason for her whole quest. And here comes the part of this review that I dread to write, because it's impossible for me not to mention it but as a bi girl I am aware of all the nuance in this. Of course, there's a boy and Maren is like, immediately attracted to him. While still in a relationship with Kaia, her girlfriend. Think of it as you like, I personally was annoyed at this aspect of the story. There are other ways to show bisexual attraction without involving actual emotional cheating (and I use this term because it was more than just, "oh he's so hot."). Does it happen IRL? Of course. But maybe it's not great in general and especially when the bisexual character is the one doing it. In any case I was mostly able to overlook it and pin it to the writer's inexperience, I just want to warn other bisexual readers that this is something that happens.
So, would I recommend this book? I think the worldbuilding was interesting and it has a lot of potential for the rest of the series, if you can overlook some of the more debut-y aspects. I'm going to keep an eye out for the next installment if I remember, but even just a few weeks after reading it I don't remember enough about this to really crave the sequel.
An interesting worldbuilding and a perfect story for fans of The Dragon Prince, which was ultimately just a little too forgettable for me.
This book starts with a really great premise, a QPOC girl who decides to go save her girlfriend and undertakes a journey in a very interesting fantasy world with dragons that can bond to humans.
I thought the execution was okay for a debut, but if you've read a lot of fantasy books this will read a little too generic. The protagonist, Maren, is on a deadline to save her girlfriend, and yet we conveniently forget about the time issue for the time that it takes Maren to learn useful skills and important bits of worldbuilding and forge new friendships and relationships. Then time is suddenly relevant again and everything has to move forward rather fast. So, overall the pacing doesn't usually bother me and it didn't here, but it was definitely something I noticed. Some things were also very predictable, and all the foreshadowing was very obviously foreshadowing from the moment you read it and not 100 pages later when it actually became relevant. This is all just nitpicking and it's just something you notice if you've read a lot of books, like I said.
Probably my favorite part of the whole book was the dragon egg that reminded me so much of The Dragon Prince, one of my favorite shows. It was really cute.
Maren is a bi girl in an already established relationship with a girl, that will be the reason for her whole quest. And here comes the part of this review that I dread to write, because it's impossible for me not to mention it but as a bi girl I am aware of all the nuance in this. Of course, there's a boy and Maren is like, immediately attracted to him. While still in a relationship with Kaia, her girlfriend. Think of it as you like, I personally was annoyed at this aspect of the story. There are other ways to show bisexual attraction without involving actual emotional cheating (and I use this term because it was more than just, "oh he's so hot."). Does it happen IRL? Of course. But maybe it's not great in general and especially when the bisexual character is the one doing it. In any case I was mostly able to overlook it and pin it to the writer's inexperience, I just want to warn other bisexual readers that this is something that happens.
So, would I recommend this book? I think the worldbuilding was interesting and it has a lot of potential for the rest of the series, if you can overlook some of the more debut-y aspects. I'm going to keep an eye out for the next installment if I remember, but even just a few weeks after reading it I don't remember enough about this to really crave the sequel.
July 23, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
I didn't know anything about Shatter the Sky except that it was about a queer girl in love with her girlfriend. And DRAGONS! Yes, I'm a dragon fan and am always down to learn dragon lore interpreted by a new author.
Shatter the Sky is a neat title especially for a dragon book, even though I'm not sure the story lived up to the name. And the cover is quite ho-hum as well. I do find the colors incredibly pretty and it makes for a great Instagram photo, but it doesn't really say anything about the story. It kind of says everything about the problems in Shatter the Sky...
The Premise
Shatter the Sky puts forth this idea of a F/F romance so powerful that a girl who would rather never leave her remote village is propelled down the mountain and into the world in order to save her. And the method of saving? Yes, a dragon!! And I liked Maia. She is your typical fiery and capable girl who is beloved by all who know her and you totally get why Maren loves her so. At first I really liked the contrast of Maren to her passionate lover. Her soft and homebody personality is quite different from what we normally read in YA fantasy. While it was really obvious what would happen (the premise tells a bit too much) I was excited to start from this beginning.
And once we get to the fortress some neat stuff happens. Especially anything connected to the dragons I pretty much enjoyed. But GAHHHH Maren became such a drag in Shatter the Sky. Either she went about doing basic stuff with less than no personality or she suddenly had all the answers and got out of the fix she was in. It made for very uneven enjoyment as I felt jerked back and forth in and out of the story. I ended up thinking way too much about the story instead of being IN the story. Maren ended up just doing whatever was needed to further the plot without any connection to an actual personality, set of skills, or ability to think.
It's very odd. If you told me what was going to happen in Shatter the Sky I'd say... that sounds like a book I want to read!! But when I read it I wasn't offended but I wasn't impressed at all. Everything was quite predictable from page 1 and that never let up all the way to the last page.
My Experience
After I got through the setup at about 35% I was happy to finally meet someone interesting in Shatter the Sky. That person is Neve! I loved her. I could have read an entire book where Maren was her apprentice and went through the entire process to take up that position legitimately. Give her Maia's personality and Maren's ability to think on her feet and I would have been sold. I think I felt this way because FINALLY something happened that captured my interest. I wasn't just reading to finish the book.
Then we meet Sev. I like Sev TBH. I knew who he was right away, but that was fine. I wanted to know what his role would be and I enjoyed that part of the story. He has a neat role that I wish we could have seen through a dual POV. We could have skipped much of Maren's dull traveling (when we switched POVs) with meeting Sev. Also having his POV of Maren would have helped immensely to improve how I saw her. Maren isn't a very self assured person to begin with so it was a struggle to see what Sev saw except to assume she's a special snowflake. (Which basically we were told she was from the very beginning and everything turns out just as I assumed.)
Anyway it was odd when Maren started to have sexual feelings for Sev! They didn't even interact that much when she suddenly was overwhelmed with lust. It was really quite odd. Especially when she's in this passionate F/F relationship. (Which was a little sick because it sounded like Maren idolized Maia more than she loved her.) And yet Maren was never uncertain about her desire to "save" Maia. Not that it ever felt like Maia needed saving. If Maia was the person she appeared to be in the beginning of Shatter the Sky then she'd have been fine. Either way she'd have become Aurati and have been able to fulfill her personal dream.
I know I make Shatter the Sky sound dismal! It really isn't that bad... The love interests are a bit messed up yes, the beginning slow and the conflict too easily resolved but there’s a core I enjoyed at the heart of Shatter the Sky. I loved the idea of the Aromatory and the Aurati ... They are both totally matriarchal and powerful. I loved the dragons (best part so I won't ruin it by raving about details) and with their bigger part to play in the next book I can see myself being curious about what happens next.
If I could use only one word to describe Shatter the Sky I'd say it's a soft story. Soft. Nothing is strong or impactful but its breezy and easy with things like dragons, ghosts and apprentices that I enjoy. The end is fun and the relationships are messy. You could find must worst ways to spend an afternoon...
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ World Building
B+ Cover & Title grade
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
March 30, 2020
**SPOILER FREE**
Personal Rating: i’d follow Maren in an uprising against any tyrant. i don’t care which one. i’m down for any. hit me up.
Reasons to Read: Clever protagonist, unapologetic BI REP!!, unpredictable plot, transportive worldbuilding rich with detail
Are you one of those people sick of queerness always being portrayed as a subject of discrimination and struggle, even in fantasy settings? Well, HERE’S THE BOOK YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. The world of Shatter the Sky has an imperialism problem, and a tyrant problem that’s packaged with that, but queer people are perfectly fine being themselves and no one gives a shit. The story, summarized succinctly as an “angry bisexual feminist dragon fantasy,” follows Maren, a mountain girl who gets so pissed when the imperialists snatch her girlfriend away for some mysterious and deadly training trials that she sets out to steal a dragon and get her back.
What gets me about Maren is that she’s one of those rare YA protagonists who’s clearly very intelligent, but you can actually see her streams of clever thoughts at work instead of just being told that she’s, idk, doing smart shit. She’s also very coolheaded, thinking through all of her decisions carefully and making almost none by impulse (unless she’s under high duress).
No matter how much she preps ahead, though, Maren’s plans don’t always work out when you expect them to, which keeps a constant thread of suspense through the book. You never get the sense that things are becoming too easy for her. Her character arc is very much about her pushing through her self-perceived inadequacies out of her love for her girlfriend and discovering along the way that, you know what? She is more That Bitch than she ever imagined.
Full spoiler-free review at my blog.
Personal Rating: i’d follow Maren in an uprising against any tyrant. i don’t care which one. i’m down for any. hit me up.
Reasons to Read: Clever protagonist, unapologetic BI REP!!, unpredictable plot, transportive worldbuilding rich with detail
Are you one of those people sick of queerness always being portrayed as a subject of discrimination and struggle, even in fantasy settings? Well, HERE’S THE BOOK YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. The world of Shatter the Sky has an imperialism problem, and a tyrant problem that’s packaged with that, but queer people are perfectly fine being themselves and no one gives a shit. The story, summarized succinctly as an “angry bisexual feminist dragon fantasy,” follows Maren, a mountain girl who gets so pissed when the imperialists snatch her girlfriend away for some mysterious and deadly training trials that she sets out to steal a dragon and get her back.
What gets me about Maren is that she’s one of those rare YA protagonists who’s clearly very intelligent, but you can actually see her streams of clever thoughts at work instead of just being told that she’s, idk, doing smart shit. She’s also very coolheaded, thinking through all of her decisions carefully and making almost none by impulse (unless she’s under high duress).
No matter how much she preps ahead, though, Maren’s plans don’t always work out when you expect them to, which keeps a constant thread of suspense through the book. You never get the sense that things are becoming too easy for her. Her character arc is very much about her pushing through her self-perceived inadequacies out of her love for her girlfriend and discovering along the way that, you know what? She is more That Bitch than she ever imagined.
Full spoiler-free review at my blog.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 20, 2019
Buddy Read with Nana and Faith for The Procrastinators Book Club
When Maren's girlfriend Kaia is taken by the Aurati to join their evil ranks, Maren decides to save her girlfriend the only way she knows how—by infiltrating the emperor's dragon fortress, stealing a dragon, and then storming the Aurati stronghold. It's impossible, but Maren is determined to be reunited with her love.
This is a story that I probably would have adored 4-5 years ago.
Dragons. High stakes. Rebellion. A bisexual heroine in a fantasy world where queerness is accepted and normal.
And yet.
Maren has absolutely no personality beyond "I must save my girlfriend!" Absolutely none. Which made me roll my eyes at everything else that happened to her, because it just felt like she was going through the motions of the plot—and is suddenly good at everything she does.
She has an amazing sense of smell. Somehow learns enough of what the Aromatory does (after that women dedicated her life to her work) in like, a month to recreate vials and potions well enough to train dragons—and oh, learns enough to be able to control dragons and know what is best for them. Everyone she meets wants to flirt with her or kiss her (for the most part, but it happened enough that I rolled my eyes so hard I felt like they were going to fall out of my head), and she is weirdly attracted to Sev for no real reason I can see? I dunno. Plus, in a turn that should surprise no one, in a leap of really blessed logic, this Mary Sue magically deduces
None of the other characters were developed enough to really pay attention to. The only ones I found partially interesting where the Aromatory and the SPOILER, but they had such a small role in the entire book.
As for the rest of the story. I just. I don't know.
I wanted to love the world-building, but it felt all over the place and contradictory at times. Maren's understanding of the world waffled between ignorant little mountain girl to all-knowing savant, and it complicated the world-building and how everything worked.
Plus, her attitude towards the rebels (of course there are rebels and of course Maren meets them), is, "OMG you people are such phonies! You only want dragons for your own selfish reasons", hypocritically ignoring the fact that 1) she just met them 10 minutes ago and 2) for the past 2/3 of the book she too had been trying to acquire a dragon for her own selfish reasons—chiefly, rescue her girlfriend.
So. Things I appreciated:
1. Super queer world.
2. People of color prominently featured, even if the cover feels lacking
3. Dragons
Things I really did not like at all:
1. Bland, Mary Sue MC
2. Bland, generic plot (but with dragons)
3. Bland, half-assed love triangle
This is not a bad book, but it was definitely one that I should have DNF'd 50 pages in. But I didn't, and while things perked up around page 100 (when Maren finally finagles her way in as the Aromatory's apprentice), things devolved considerably once she leaves the dragon fortress.
However, my experience isn't one-size-fits-all.
This might be the book for you (did I mention there were bisexuals and dragons??).
It just wasn't the book for me.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
When Maren's girlfriend Kaia is taken by the Aurati to join their evil ranks, Maren decides to save her girlfriend the only way she knows how—by infiltrating the emperor's dragon fortress, stealing a dragon, and then storming the Aurati stronghold. It's impossible, but Maren is determined to be reunited with her love.
This is a story that I probably would have adored 4-5 years ago.
Dragons. High stakes. Rebellion. A bisexual heroine in a fantasy world where queerness is accepted and normal.
And yet.
Maren has absolutely no personality beyond "I must save my girlfriend!" Absolutely none. Which made me roll my eyes at everything else that happened to her, because it just felt like she was going through the motions of the plot—and is suddenly good at everything she does.
She has an amazing sense of smell. Somehow learns enough of what the Aromatory does (after that women dedicated her life to her work) in like, a month to recreate vials and potions well enough to train dragons—and oh, learns enough to be able to control dragons and know what is best for them. Everyone she meets wants to flirt with her or kiss her (for the most part, but it happened enough that I rolled my eyes so hard I felt like they were going to fall out of my head), and she is weirdly attracted to Sev for no real reason I can see? I dunno. Plus, in a turn that should surprise no one, in a leap of really blessed logic, this Mary Sue magically deduces
None of the other characters were developed enough to really pay attention to. The only ones I found partially interesting where the Aromatory and the SPOILER, but they had such a small role in the entire book.
As for the rest of the story. I just. I don't know.
I wanted to love the world-building, but it felt all over the place and contradictory at times. Maren's understanding of the world waffled between ignorant little mountain girl to all-knowing savant, and it complicated the world-building and how everything worked.
Plus, her attitude towards the rebels (of course there are rebels and of course Maren meets them), is, "OMG you people are such phonies! You only want dragons for your own selfish reasons", hypocritically ignoring the fact that 1) she just met them 10 minutes ago and 2) for the past 2/3 of the book she too had been trying to acquire a dragon for her own selfish reasons—chiefly, rescue her girlfriend.
So. Things I appreciated:
1. Super queer world.
2. People of color prominently featured, even if the cover feels lacking
3. Dragons
Things I really did not like at all:
1. Bland, Mary Sue MC
2. Bland, generic plot (but with dragons)
3. Bland, half-assed love triangle
This is not a bad book, but it was definitely one that I should have DNF'd 50 pages in. But I didn't, and while things perked up around page 100 (when Maren finally finagles her way in as the Aromatory's apprentice), things devolved considerably once she leaves the dragon fortress.
However, my experience isn't one-size-fits-all.
This might be the book for you (did I mention there were bisexuals and dragons??).
It just wasn't the book for me.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
August 11, 2019
there's kind of a love triangle in this and i'm hardcore not here for it. or am i?
There's something about this writing that is really easy-to-follow and engaging, but not lyrical in the way that would let me pull beautiful quotes? Which is sad. Because I like quotes.
I feel like I've said this for a lot of books, but this really just gave me that Classic YA feeling in terms of its structure and plot. I also felt like maybe this book felt slightly like it could have been middle-grade?
I'm going to be writing a good and proper review for this on the blog soon, soooo I will just put some thoughts here.
- there was some borderline cheating that really did bother me; if it wasn't for the fact that maren wasn't in a relationship, i would have been more okay with the love triangle that's going on
- like if she wasn't in a relationship !!! i would have been more supportive !! from the way the direction of the story is, the romance could honestly go either with the boy li or the current gf and i really don't know (obviously, Maren as a sapphic character is valid either way!!)
- this book can kind of play into the trope where the the mc, Maren, has her bi-ness being demonstrated by emotional cheating, so just be aware!! <3
- also, there's not a lot of relationship shenanigans happening, just so y'all know... because her girlfriend is in custody for like the majority of the book. but there is some good pining and also some dreams regarding memories, which was nice!!
Okay, I thought that this cover was absolutely gorgeous when I saw it, but... it's a little underwhelming in person. I think it's the typography of the title?
- the world wasn't anything completely new, but I mean HELL YEAH I really do love my dragons :')
- AND a dragon egg, and idk I just LOVE when there the dragons have a good specific connection to a human. like Toothless & Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon?? Maren and the dragon (I forgot the name lolol) from this? GIVE THAT FLUFFY CONTENT OKAY.
- I'm really excited for the next book!! this was really promising, although I felt like it could have gone deeper into the world? it was a pretty light fantasy novel for the most part!!
- I also really love all of the support for this book (I've seen it in multiple book boxes) because yeah, while this isn't a completely unique premise or world, I'm so happy about this f/f book getting a good amount of attention!!
>> trigger & content warnings for blood, self-harm, forced consumption of a drink, animal abuse, animal fighting, captivity
>> specific rep includes a biracial mc (of color, I believe?) who is bi; a sapphic love interest of color
(I have no idea if the protagonist is a poc because I don't really remember any descriptions of her? lmao) (but I saw other reviews mentioning her as a poc so I'm just going to put that here)
There's something about this writing that is really easy-to-follow and engaging, but not lyrical in the way that would let me pull beautiful quotes? Which is sad. Because I like quotes.
I feel like I've said this for a lot of books, but this really just gave me that Classic YA feeling in terms of its structure and plot. I also felt like maybe this book felt slightly like it could have been middle-grade?
I'm going to be writing a good and proper review for this on the blog soon, soooo I will just put some thoughts here.
- there was some borderline cheating that really did bother me; if it wasn't for the fact that maren wasn't in a relationship, i would have been more okay with the love triangle that's going on
- like if she wasn't in a relationship !!! i would have been more supportive !! from the way the direction of the story is, the romance could honestly go either with the boy li or the current gf and i really don't know (obviously, Maren as a sapphic character is valid either way!!)
- this book can kind of play into the trope where the the mc, Maren, has her bi-ness being demonstrated by emotional cheating, so just be aware!! <3
- also, there's not a lot of relationship shenanigans happening, just so y'all know... because her girlfriend is in custody for like the majority of the book. but there is some good pining and also some dreams regarding memories, which was nice!!
Okay, I thought that this cover was absolutely gorgeous when I saw it, but... it's a little underwhelming in person. I think it's the typography of the title?
- the world wasn't anything completely new, but I mean HELL YEAH I really do love my dragons :')
- AND a dragon egg, and idk I just LOVE when there the dragons have a good specific connection to a human. like Toothless & Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon?? Maren and the dragon (I forgot the name lolol) from this? GIVE THAT FLUFFY CONTENT OKAY.
- I'm really excited for the next book!! this was really promising, although I felt like it could have gone deeper into the world? it was a pretty light fantasy novel for the most part!!
- I also really love all of the support for this book (I've seen it in multiple book boxes) because yeah, while this isn't a completely unique premise or world, I'm so happy about this f/f book getting a good amount of attention!!
>> trigger & content warnings for blood, self-harm, forced consumption of a drink, animal abuse, animal fighting, captivity
>> specific rep includes a biracial mc (of color, I believe?) who is bi; a sapphic love interest of color
(I have no idea if the protagonist is a poc because I don't really remember any descriptions of her? lmao) (but I saw other reviews mentioning her as a poc so I'm just going to put that here)
October 1, 2025
Reread as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: Pending the second book arriving from interlibrary loan, but leaning towards not keeping this unless Storm The Earth really blows me away.
Okay, so first off: rereading this makes me even more confused about what went wrong in Briar Girls. Despite that being Wells' third book and this being her first, the worldbuilding, characterization, and atmosphere here is so, so much better! I'm baffled.
That said, I didn't love it quite as much as I did the first time, and the big factor really is the way Maren and Kaia's relationship is portrayed; it's sidelined for much of the book, and then when it comes up, it's often to mention how Maren always felt lesser next to Kaia. Which... there's nothing wrong with portraying unhealthy, toxic, or just imperfect queer relationships, except that it feels like a bait-and-switch from the original premise. I don't really have a sense of why Maren would risk life, limb, and imperial retribution for Kaia, nor whether Kaia would do the same, and their relationship ends up feeling more like a plot device than something with heart.
There's also a moment near the end which bothered me, and reminded me of a similar issue I had in Briar Girls - Maren, who until that point has not been a violent or particularly angry person, breaks someone's arm without flinching. As when Lena in Briar Girls burned two people alive and then went on with her day, it feels like it's handled extremely casually and without nuance, nor even reflection. It's a jarring moment as a reader, and feels like a hole in Maren's characterization.
To be fair, I do think Storm The Earth could potentially resolve these issues, and I did still enjoy reading this book, but whether or not it's a keeper depends entirely on whether or not the sequel wraps things up in a satisfactory manner.
2018 review:
hey quick question why the HELL did I think it was a good idea to read this seven months before it's released
why did I give myself seven EXTRA MONTHS of waiting for the sequel
I am suffering
(or: it was really good, but I just want! more!)
Okay, so first off: rereading this makes me even more confused about what went wrong in Briar Girls. Despite that being Wells' third book and this being her first, the worldbuilding, characterization, and atmosphere here is so, so much better! I'm baffled.
That said, I didn't love it quite as much as I did the first time, and the big factor really is the way Maren and Kaia's relationship is portrayed; it's sidelined for much of the book, and then when it comes up, it's often to mention how Maren always felt lesser next to Kaia. Which... there's nothing wrong with portraying unhealthy, toxic, or just imperfect queer relationships, except that it feels like a bait-and-switch from the original premise. I don't really have a sense of why Maren would risk life, limb, and imperial retribution for Kaia, nor whether Kaia would do the same, and their relationship ends up feeling more like a plot device than something with heart.
There's also a moment near the end which bothered me, and reminded me of a similar issue I had in Briar Girls - Maren, who until that point has not been a violent or particularly angry person, breaks someone's arm without flinching. As when Lena in Briar Girls burned two people alive and then went on with her day, it feels like it's handled extremely casually and without nuance, nor even reflection. It's a jarring moment as a reader, and feels like a hole in Maren's characterization.
To be fair, I do think Storm The Earth could potentially resolve these issues, and I did still enjoy reading this book, but whether or not it's a keeper depends entirely on whether or not the sequel wraps things up in a satisfactory manner.
2018 review:
hey quick question why the HELL did I think it was a good idea to read this seven months before it's released
why did I give myself seven EXTRA MONTHS of waiting for the sequel
I am suffering
(or: it was really good, but I just want! more!)
June 14, 2019
2019 is the year that QPOC are showing up in YA to burn the system to the ground and I could not stan harder if I tried.
This is a gloriously fresh take on dragons and magic and oppression. Maren's journey is a familiar one, but every twist that Wells has added in here makes it surprising and delightful. It also has quite possibly some of the most interesting and unique forms of magic I've ever encountered - including a people whose songs connect them to the land and each other, and an entire dragon training division that is devised on oils and chemistry.
I came here for the story of a bisexual girl who sets off to steal a dragon and bring back her girlfriend, and what I got blew my expectations out of the water. This is an amazing debut and a start to what I'm sure will be a fantastic series.
This dragon didn't smell like anything I recognized, I realized... Maybe the smell I'd been associating with dragons all this time was the scent of their fear. Maybe all the things I'd learned about dragons were half-truths, words misshaped by the mouths of their captors.
This is a gloriously fresh take on dragons and magic and oppression. Maren's journey is a familiar one, but every twist that Wells has added in here makes it surprising and delightful. It also has quite possibly some of the most interesting and unique forms of magic I've ever encountered - including a people whose songs connect them to the land and each other, and an entire dragon training division that is devised on oils and chemistry.
I came here for the story of a bisexual girl who sets off to steal a dragon and bring back her girlfriend, and what I got blew my expectations out of the water. This is an amazing debut and a start to what I'm sure will be a fantastic series.
July 17, 2020
Dragons and a f/f romance! This was what drew me into this book and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed this!
- Follows Maren, a bisexual teen who sneaks away from the mountain she calls home to find and save her childhood-friend and girlfriend after she is taken away by the emperor's servants.
- There's dragons! I liked this book's take on dragons - how scents and herbalism were important to dragons, and how they tied politically to the book's world.
- I liked Maren well enough as a protagonist. She is not perfect, she makes plenty of mistakes, and she can be a bit foolhardy (in an endearing way), but I liked her drive. It's clear she loves Maia, her girlfriend, so much that she would move mountains for her.
- The story is interesting and entertaining, but lacked the level of development to really make an impact. There will be a second book, and I think I'll be interested to see where the story goes.
Trigger/content warning:
- Follows Maren, a bisexual teen who sneaks away from the mountain she calls home to find and save her childhood-friend and girlfriend after she is taken away by the emperor's servants.
- There's dragons! I liked this book's take on dragons - how scents and herbalism were important to dragons, and how they tied politically to the book's world.
- I liked Maren well enough as a protagonist. She is not perfect, she makes plenty of mistakes, and she can be a bit foolhardy (in an endearing way), but I liked her drive. It's clear she loves Maia, her girlfriend, so much that she would move mountains for her.
- The story is interesting and entertaining, but lacked the level of development to really make an impact. There will be a second book, and I think I'll be interested to see where the story goes.
Trigger/content warning:
October 8, 2020
Dragons and a sapphic romance. What more could you ask for? (more of the romance, probably)
The plot of Shatter the Sky revolves around Maren trying to rescue her heartmate, Kaia, from the Aurati by stealing a dragon.
This was a fun and quick read, though a bit predictable. I wish the characters had been more developed and nuanced, especially Kaia, since she was barely present in this book. I think the next book centers more around her and Maren rescuing Sev, though, so I hope she becomes more of a full character.
3.5 stars
The plot of Shatter the Sky revolves around Maren trying to rescue her heartmate, Kaia, from the Aurati by stealing a dragon.
This was a fun and quick read, though a bit predictable. I wish the characters had been more developed and nuanced, especially Kaia, since she was barely present in this book. I think the next book centers more around her and Maren rescuing Sev, though, so I hope she becomes more of a full character.
3.5 stars
Want to read
April 10, 2018I’m sorry but this sounds SO DARN LIT that I might actually cry out of sheer delight
I feel truly blessed to live in an era where such delightful stories are being told 😭
I feel truly blessed to live in an era where such delightful stories are being told 😭
Want to read
February 9, 2018Lesbians and dragons?????
Read
February 24, 2019Aah that was so satisfying (despite being a trilogy opener), so immersive, and so much fun. Great for fans of Audrey Coulthurst's Inkmistress, of which I definitely count myself. Long RTC.
October 24, 2019
*3.25
I am so disappointed.
I went into this book having no expectations, but I was reading for the pre-established romance. The moment I read "to save her girlfriend" I wanted to read this. I would've read it if it was "save her boyfriend" or whatever because I love when characters start off the book in a relationship and we just follow them in their relationship. I love that.
I also really liked the cover. And I feel like an idiot because it literally took me so long to notice the freaking dragon.
I just want to say one thing: the queerness is very present in here. And I'm not talking about Six of Crows, The Gilded Wolves some characters are queer. Sexuality is a very fluid thing in this book, and I loved how it was just so effortlessly blended into the story. There's a character about 70% of the way through who is introduced as "they" at first glance and it's never commented upon. It's honestly so refreshing.
I was really enjoying this book for about the first 50%. The writing was superb. But then the book took a direction I was not expecting and just really ruined it for me. I can't really say what it was without spoiling anything, so:
There were a few parts I liked about the ending, but overall I just was solidly let down because of the ridiculous thing the book pulled halfway through. I'll read the sequel, but I'm not really excited. Oh well. I enjoyed it for a while. 3.25/5 stars.
I am so disappointed.
I went into this book having no expectations, but I was reading for the pre-established romance. The moment I read "to save her girlfriend" I wanted to read this. I would've read it if it was "save her boyfriend" or whatever because I love when characters start off the book in a relationship and we just follow them in their relationship. I love that.
I also really liked the cover. And I feel like an idiot because it literally took me so long to notice the freaking dragon.
I just want to say one thing: the queerness is very present in here. And I'm not talking about Six of Crows, The Gilded Wolves some characters are queer. Sexuality is a very fluid thing in this book, and I loved how it was just so effortlessly blended into the story. There's a character about 70% of the way through who is introduced as "they" at first glance and it's never commented upon. It's honestly so refreshing.
I was really enjoying this book for about the first 50%. The writing was superb. But then the book took a direction I was not expecting and just really ruined it for me. I can't really say what it was without spoiling anything, so:
There were a few parts I liked about the ending, but overall I just was solidly let down because of the ridiculous thing the book pulled halfway through. I'll read the sequel, but I'm not really excited. Oh well. I enjoyed it for a while. 3.25/5 stars.
November 26, 2019
Really enjoyed this one! Lesbians and dragons! A super fast, short read which I always appreciate in fantasy. I loved the incidental queerness of the book, and really related the protagonist who didn’t want to be a heroine, she just wanted to stay home, but hurt her girlfriend at your peril!
The pacing especially reminded me a lot of the YA books I read when I was a teen, like Tamora Pierce.
The pacing especially reminded me a lot of the YA books I read when I was a teen, like Tamora Pierce.
September 27, 2021
Then let them burn.
On my blog.
Rep: bi mc, wlw li, Asian inspired characters (? definitely poc)
Galley provided by publisher
So you want a book with a bi main character? So you want a book with no white characters? So you want a book with dragons and a quest to rescue your girlfriend from the villains? This is the book for you.
Shatter the Sky opens with Maren’s girlfriend, Kaia, being taken from her by agents of the empire and forced to join them. And, in the process, establishes something very early on. This is a fantasy world without any homophobia. Not only does Maren have a girlfriend, but her girlfriend has two mothers. And nobody bats an eyelid. So, from the start, I loved the worldbuilding.
Another thing about this book is that it’s fast-moving. Even in the middle passage where Maren is learning things, it still never sinks into that kind of lull a lot of YA fantasies seem to. You know the one. Between the big exciting opening third and the big exciting final quarter. There’s none of that here. It builds up gradually to the end (and the end, when it comes, is nothing short of epic). So, me with my poor patience, I really appreciated it.
But probably my favourite thing about this book was Maren’s character development. The transition from believing herself to be nothing special to how she is at the end (no spoilers)? Spectacular. I cannot wait to read book two after that ending.
The one thing I would say I wasn’t a big fan of? The (hinted at) love triangle. Not because I feel it’s a trite trope that gets trotted out a lot with bi characters (sorry, alliteration. Also, I do feel that), but because I genuinely thought by the end that Maren was better off without either of her potential love interests. Sev was too much of a hypocrite for me to actually like him (and the mysteriousness didn’t work on him), and Kaia, I think she’s too different to by the end, but. As ever, I’m willing to see how it plays out.
So, in the end, I’ll just refer you back to my first paragraph. And beg you to read this book.
February 4, 2020
I like this book a whole lot. It surprised me. I hope they pick a different cover by the time it comes out because I don't know a lot of teens that would give it a shot based on this one. Review to come.
Previously On This Review:
My ARC bills this as an "angry feminist bisexual dragon YA fantasy novel" and I can't tell if this word salad is a meaningful statement, but I guess we'll see.
Previously On This Review:
My ARC bills this as an "angry feminist bisexual dragon YA fantasy novel" and I can't tell if this word salad is a meaningful statement, but I guess we'll see.
February 26, 2022
4.5/5
A disaster bisexual MC, dragons and lots of pining bc her girlfriend was kidnapped!? This was sooo good!
Shatter the Sky follows Maren as she sneaks into the Emperor's castle. She's there to find a way into the Aromatory, and become the dragon trainer's apprentice. Once she figures out how to steal a dragon, she's off to storm to Aurati stronghold, where the Emperor's prophetic agents live, and to rescue her girlfriend, Kaia.
I loved this so much. The world building was so well done. I constantly wanted to know more about the dragons and how the indigenous people (Maren's ancestors) bonded and trained with the dragons. I'm betting there will be more about this in the sequel since we only get a peak in this one.
Maren is such a strong character. I loved her curiosity and her determination to rescue Kaia at all costs. I really enjoyed the friendship that developed between her and Sev. I wonder if anything else will happen there.
I can't wait to read the second one and the author's other book Briar Girls!
Rep: Bisexual biracial BIPOC cis female MC, sapphic BIPOC cis female love interest, BIPOC cis male side character (possibly a second love interest not sure yet), multiple BIPOC side characters, queer-normative world.
CWs: Violence, kidnapping. Moderate: Animal cruelty and death (dragons), death, xenophobia, blood, vomit, medical content, fire/fire injury, torture.
A disaster bisexual MC, dragons and lots of pining bc her girlfriend was kidnapped!? This was sooo good!
Shatter the Sky follows Maren as she sneaks into the Emperor's castle. She's there to find a way into the Aromatory, and become the dragon trainer's apprentice. Once she figures out how to steal a dragon, she's off to storm to Aurati stronghold, where the Emperor's prophetic agents live, and to rescue her girlfriend, Kaia.
I loved this so much. The world building was so well done. I constantly wanted to know more about the dragons and how the indigenous people (Maren's ancestors) bonded and trained with the dragons. I'm betting there will be more about this in the sequel since we only get a peak in this one.
Maren is such a strong character. I loved her curiosity and her determination to rescue Kaia at all costs. I really enjoyed the friendship that developed between her and Sev. I wonder if anything else will happen there.
I can't wait to read the second one and the author's other book Briar Girls!
Rep: Bisexual biracial BIPOC cis female MC, sapphic BIPOC cis female love interest, BIPOC cis male side character (possibly a second love interest not sure yet), multiple BIPOC side characters, queer-normative world.
CWs: Violence, kidnapping. Moderate: Animal cruelty and death (dragons), death, xenophobia, blood, vomit, medical content, fire/fire injury, torture.
February 15, 2020
DNF at 46%
I don't know what to rate this book since I didn't really read that last 26 percent... I did physically read this book, but pretty much just left my brain as soon as I read it. I don't know if it's just my state of mind, but this book got me in a bit of a slump and I don't see the point in forcing myself to finish it since it's due at the library tomorrow.
The whole time I was just waiting for the plot to make sense, and it never did. Certain things happened far too easily, and other things were pointlessly difficult. Maren, the main character, lays out her plan for how to save her girlfriend in the beginning of the book, and then it seems like everything goes exactly according to plan, which pretty much means there's no excitement in this book at all.
Meanwhile, there are so many side characters and I literally remember none of their names. There's the dragon person whose name starts with an N and had the character trait of Grumpy. Sev is the apparent love interest who's a bit too aggressive about his love for dragons, and then he has... a friend who we're supposed to believe is also Maren's friend. And then there's like ten other people who have no character development and seem to only exist so Maren has someone to talk to. The majority of them are introduced one after another in a single paragraph, and I don't remember any of it.
Let me be honest. I read Shatter the Sky for the f/f romance and the purported bi rep, and this did not give it to me. The Maren's girlfriend leaves the story after the second chapter and, at the point I reached, she never comes back. Then it seems like Maren has a romance blossoming with a dude, which would be great, except she's still with her girlfriend, this whole book is about her trying to save her girlfriend (although it's very easy to forget that), and I never saw any indication that these two are in an open relationship. So now I find myself reading another story about cheating bisexuals? How did that happen?
I don't want to make any judgements since I didn't even finish the book, but I don't see the point in continuing on, since the whole reason I read the book is basically nonexistent, and I can't find anything else to like about this book.
I hate giving 1-star ratings, and I don't give them out lightly, especially when I DNFed, but I think that's the only rating that fits here. Even though I love the idea of this book, I read half of it, and there's honestly no redeeming qualities here. Much as it saddens me to say it, this is my first 1-star of 2020.
I don't know what to rate this book since I didn't really read that last 26 percent... I did physically read this book, but pretty much just left my brain as soon as I read it. I don't know if it's just my state of mind, but this book got me in a bit of a slump and I don't see the point in forcing myself to finish it since it's due at the library tomorrow.
The whole time I was just waiting for the plot to make sense, and it never did. Certain things happened far too easily, and other things were pointlessly difficult. Maren, the main character, lays out her plan for how to save her girlfriend in the beginning of the book, and then it seems like everything goes exactly according to plan, which pretty much means there's no excitement in this book at all.
Meanwhile, there are so many side characters and I literally remember none of their names. There's the dragon person whose name starts with an N and had the character trait of Grumpy. Sev is the apparent love interest who's a bit too aggressive about his love for dragons, and then he has... a friend who we're supposed to believe is also Maren's friend. And then there's like ten other people who have no character development and seem to only exist so Maren has someone to talk to. The majority of them are introduced one after another in a single paragraph, and I don't remember any of it.
Let me be honest. I read Shatter the Sky for the f/f romance and the purported bi rep, and this did not give it to me. The Maren's girlfriend leaves the story after the second chapter and, at the point I reached, she never comes back. Then it seems like Maren has a romance blossoming with a dude, which would be great, except she's still with her girlfriend, this whole book is about her trying to save her girlfriend (although it's very easy to forget that), and I never saw any indication that these two are in an open relationship. So now I find myself reading another story about cheating bisexuals? How did that happen?
I don't want to make any judgements since I didn't even finish the book, but I don't see the point in continuing on, since the whole reason I read the book is basically nonexistent, and I can't find anything else to like about this book.
I hate giving 1-star ratings, and I don't give them out lightly, especially when I DNFed, but I think that's the only rating that fits here. Even though I love the idea of this book, I read half of it, and there's honestly no redeeming qualities here. Much as it saddens me to say it, this is my first 1-star of 2020.
October 17, 2020
Oh, WOWZERS! You cannot go wrong with dragons and lesbian lovin'
Time for the next book!
Time for the next book!
July 26, 2019
read on my blog
I first heard about Shatter the Sky from Twitter and was intrigued because it had a bi protagonist. Then I read the summary; a quest to get your girlfriend back using dragons? Sign me up. Shatter the Sky was an intriguing read, with strong worldbuilding and great character development.
The whole concept of dragons was really interesting in this book. I will say that it didn’t have maximum dragons, but I’m sure that will be remedied in the next book. They use oils and scents to somewhat control the dragons, influencing them to sleep or to feel rage. It was definitely a nice addition to the worldbuilding that made this book feel unique.
The worldbuilding is very thought out; Wells makes sure to describe the world in great detail, especially the different countries and who rules over another. It’s a lot to take in, but she clearly put a lot of effort into it.
I liked Maren and being in her head, even though I wanted to scream at her sometimes. Her relationship with Kaia was so cute as well, and she is incredibly dedicated to rescuing her. Also, this book normalizes gay relationships! I find this rare in high fantasies in YA today, so I loved this nice little touch.
I found the writing to be very lighthearted; I’m not quite sure how to explain it but I lowkey got vibes like Poison by Brigid Zinn? Both have this airy tone that gives the book such a fun feel.
I don’t really see how Sev likes Maren so much when they’ve only talked approximately ten times. I sense a love triangle in the future, not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Shatter the Sky is a nice read, with intricate worldbuilding and great characters. I loved the normalization of same-sex relationships, especially in a high fantasy; if you want to read a book with a bi protagonist in a f/f relationship, this is the one for you.. I can’t wait for book two to dive back into this world and Maren’s predicaments! Also, the author is signing books as “Freeing Dragons: the Bisexual Agenda,” which is everything I could have ever wanted so.
original review:
okay okay
I am a dragon girl without a dragon. But what if I got one? What could I do then?
I first heard about Shatter the Sky from Twitter and was intrigued because it had a bi protagonist. Then I read the summary; a quest to get your girlfriend back using dragons? Sign me up. Shatter the Sky was an intriguing read, with strong worldbuilding and great character development.
The whole concept of dragons was really interesting in this book. I will say that it didn’t have maximum dragons, but I’m sure that will be remedied in the next book. They use oils and scents to somewhat control the dragons, influencing them to sleep or to feel rage. It was definitely a nice addition to the worldbuilding that made this book feel unique.
The worldbuilding is very thought out; Wells makes sure to describe the world in great detail, especially the different countries and who rules over another. It’s a lot to take in, but she clearly put a lot of effort into it.
I liked Maren and being in her head, even though I wanted to scream at her sometimes. Her relationship with Kaia was so cute as well, and she is incredibly dedicated to rescuing her. Also, this book normalizes gay relationships! I find this rare in high fantasies in YA today, so I loved this nice little touch.
I found the writing to be very lighthearted; I’m not quite sure how to explain it but I lowkey got vibes like Poison by Brigid Zinn? Both have this airy tone that gives the book such a fun feel.
I don’t really see how Sev likes Maren so much when they’ve only talked approximately ten times. I sense a love triangle in the future, not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Shatter the Sky is a nice read, with intricate worldbuilding and great characters. I loved the normalization of same-sex relationships, especially in a high fantasy; if you want to read a book with a bi protagonist in a f/f relationship, this is the one for you.. I can’t wait for book two to dive back into this world and Maren’s predicaments! Also, the author is signing books as “Freeing Dragons: the Bisexual Agenda,” which is everything I could have ever wanted so.
original review:
okay okay
July 4, 2019
You can find this review and others on my blog Shades of Paper
To be honest, I was beyond excited to read this novel. Every time I hear the word “dragons” in a synopsis I immediately add said book to my TBR, so needless to say O went into Shatter the Sky with so high expectations, and though there were some parts that I really enjoyed about it, I overall have mixed feelings about it, and I’m not sure if I’ll be continuing with the series.
The main thing about this book was that I’m not sure after finishing what was the plot of the story. Sure, there was the girl-trying-to-save-her-girlfriend trope very present throughout the story, but apart from that I feel there wasn’t much else. There were times where I couldn’t really tell the direction it was following or the reasons why, and it was mostly little subplots and a more character driven story.
However, I have to say that the world building was incredible. For such a short book we got to know a lot about this fictional world and the society, and even though there was a lot of info dump thrown at us at the very beginning and I found it a bit confusing to place everything and get into the story the first few chapters, I still think it was so complex and really well created, and one of my favorite parts.
Another part that I adored and wish it was more present in the book was the dragons. I think we got a fair glimpse at the creatures in Shatter the Sky, which I loved, but it would have been even better if we got to see them much more than that. It was such am interesting thing what the author did in regarding to them, and I think it’ll be explored much more in the next installment, but still.
What happened with Shatter the Sky that made me not enjoy the story as much as I wanted to was that it was such a short book, and its pacing was a bit off sometimes. There were times where there were a lot of things happening and twists and turns that kept me intrigued, and other times where nothing (literally nothing) was happening. And for such a short book, I found it a bit inconsistent.
When it comes to the characters, I have some mixed feelings. I really enjoyed our protagonist and I think she had such a strong and interesting voice, and I also appreciated her bravery and everything she did to rescue Kaia, but her arc was pretty much the same at the beginning and at the very end of the book. There wasn’t really anything that made her grow, and there were some tropes that were part of some revelations regarding some side characters that are quite common in YA and didn’t really surprise me as much. I think that the reason why everything felt so rushed regarding our characters’ interactions and the plot of the story had much more to do with the length of the book than anything else, because if it was longer I think there would have been more time for progression between certain scenes and more development of the characters.
Overall, there were some things I really adored about Shatter the Sky, and thought were interesting to kept me wanting to kept reading, but I had a few issues with the plot and the length that made me lower my rating a bit.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn’t change my opinion whatsoever. All thoughts are my own.
TW: kidnapping
....
...
..
ARC provided by Simon & Schuster
I’m here for the gay
“The emperor had been right to fear us. If stories were to be believed, our ancestors flew on the backs of dragons and breathed fire themselves. How they would scorn me now. I was just a girl with a broken heart, and no hope for a future.”
To be honest, I was beyond excited to read this novel. Every time I hear the word “dragons” in a synopsis I immediately add said book to my TBR, so needless to say O went into Shatter the Sky with so high expectations, and though there were some parts that I really enjoyed about it, I overall have mixed feelings about it, and I’m not sure if I’ll be continuing with the series.
The main thing about this book was that I’m not sure after finishing what was the plot of the story. Sure, there was the girl-trying-to-save-her-girlfriend trope very present throughout the story, but apart from that I feel there wasn’t much else. There were times where I couldn’t really tell the direction it was following or the reasons why, and it was mostly little subplots and a more character driven story.
However, I have to say that the world building was incredible. For such a short book we got to know a lot about this fictional world and the society, and even though there was a lot of info dump thrown at us at the very beginning and I found it a bit confusing to place everything and get into the story the first few chapters, I still think it was so complex and really well created, and one of my favorite parts.
“I’m a Verran girl, and this was a forest like any other. First I’ll fins the river, then follow it home — to Maren. Whatever it takes.”
Another part that I adored and wish it was more present in the book was the dragons. I think we got a fair glimpse at the creatures in Shatter the Sky, which I loved, but it would have been even better if we got to see them much more than that. It was such am interesting thing what the author did in regarding to them, and I think it’ll be explored much more in the next installment, but still.
What happened with Shatter the Sky that made me not enjoy the story as much as I wanted to was that it was such a short book, and its pacing was a bit off sometimes. There were times where there were a lot of things happening and twists and turns that kept me intrigued, and other times where nothing (literally nothing) was happening. And for such a short book, I found it a bit inconsistent.
When it comes to the characters, I have some mixed feelings. I really enjoyed our protagonist and I think she had such a strong and interesting voice, and I also appreciated her bravery and everything she did to rescue Kaia, but her arc was pretty much the same at the beginning and at the very end of the book. There wasn’t really anything that made her grow, and there were some tropes that were part of some revelations regarding some side characters that are quite common in YA and didn’t really surprise me as much. I think that the reason why everything felt so rushed regarding our characters’ interactions and the plot of the story had much more to do with the length of the book than anything else, because if it was longer I think there would have been more time for progression between certain scenes and more development of the characters.
Overall, there were some things I really adored about Shatter the Sky, and thought were interesting to kept me wanting to kept reading, but I had a few issues with the plot and the length that made me lower my rating a bit.
“What must it have been like, humans and dragons living side by side. I would have given almost anything to see Ylvera as it once had been.”
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn’t change my opinion whatsoever. All thoughts are my own.
TW: kidnapping
....
...
..
ARC provided by Simon & Schuster
I’m here for the gay
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