First of all, wow!
This is, no doubt, one of my favourite sci-fi books of all time. I enjoyed every single page of this book.

The characters are so well written and I genuinely connected with the whole main crew - they’re all incredibly special & I’m kind of in love with Ty tbh. The story was fast paced, gripping, very enjoyable. I’m definitely a sucker for the found family trope, so I really enjoyed it in this book as well. I usually don’t like love triangles at all, but I really didn’t mind it this time.

If there’s a sequel, I will definitely read it!

Thank you Netgalley and North Star Editions/Flux books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! it was such a fun, adventurous read, and I loved the characters. The characters don't fall into the overused YA sci-fi stereotypes, and while the plot was predictable, the characters made all the difference. I think this book should be an automatic buy if you like sci-fi, sapphics, books like Six of Crows, or adventures.

I was really excited to read this book, because from the pitch it seems like exactly the kind of story I love. But the reality of it was... not what I hoped. The characters felt flat and uninteresting, and so did the world building. It felt very familiar, like a sci-fi city from a dozen different movies/books with nothing really new or fresh to pull me in. I DNF'd this one, though I really tried to read it all.

Even though I am mad that it finished in a cliffhanger I am so happy that I got accepted to read this because it was so much fun book,I could not put it down. All I knew about this is that there was sapphic activates so i don't investigate further(Also the cover is perfection) I was incredibly surprised when I stared reading how incredibly badass the characters are I love that fact that Asa the main protagonist is a super geeky about technology and that she know her strength and weaknesses. I really hope the author pays more attention to Riven because she is such a breath of fresh air she a girl that likes guns, takes no crap from no one and is protective of her friends. I was incredibly surprised of how the author presented the technology and overall world it didn't take me out of the story what so ever. I don't know how long we are gonna have to wait for the second seeing as this a debut so please go support the author and read the book.

Thank you netgally and the publisher for giving me a free copy of City of Shattered Light for an honest review.

City of Shattered Light is the sapphic sci-fi story of my dreams! I utterly adored this book, it's amazingly fun, full of adventure, and so swoon-worthy. Claire Winn is officially an auto-buy author for the rest of my life!

So… I enjoy the idea here. The plot was a good idea but the execution was rather boring. I’ve always been a fan of sci fi but this didn’t quite do it for me. But honestly this might be a great book to get started on this genre.

Claire Winn is a genius!! This book is so fun, so adventurous, and unique that I had a hard time putting it down. Definitely recommend!

The City of Shattered Light is a young adult sci-fi novel by debut author Claire Winn. The novel follows Asa Almeida's journey as she tries to break out of her father's shadow of a manipulative owner of a tech company. Asa ventures into Requiem, a land filled with outlaws, after her father uploads her sister's mind onto an experimental brain. This book tells the story of Asa and the crew that she finds, while also tackling the themes of the future of technology and the blurred lines of human vs. machine.

What I liked:
- Themes: The themes of technology going too far and being used for evil are amazing in this book. I loved seeing a girl in tech (SUPER EXCITING) and thought that seeing peoples' attachment to A.I. was really interesting. It also tackles ideas of what makes a human vs. a machine which I thought was really intriguing. The themes were also incorporated into the book in such a way that it wasn't confusing and didn't seem like a dump of information, but instead, they were woven into the story seamlessly.
- Setting: This setting was absolutely GORGEOUS. Requiem was unique and vibrant and I loved the neon colorful feel to it. It was perfect for a sci-fi book and was described so well. I honestly would read this book just because of the amazing setting. With the characters as well this book was just so so cool.
- Pacing and plot: The book was so fast-paced! I love books that just keep moving and I feel like there were not any lulls in this novel. Everything was constantly moving forward which is honestly so refreshing to see. I was always kept on the edge of my seat with the heist plot (!!) that became a part of the story.
What wasn't my favorite:
- Ending: The ending wasn't bad, but I felt that it lacked the suspense the rest of the book had. I guessed the ending at the very beginning of the book and personally, I like to be a bit more surprised at the end. I think that what happened to the technology at the end seemed a bit unsurprising and overused and the plot twists weren't exactly twists. The ending was still fitting though, so I wouldn't say it's a dealbreaker at all.
- Love Triangle: This is a completely personal opinion, but I just don't like love triangles and I'm not sure if I ever will. I liked this it was a bi-love triangle and had a wlw main relationship, but love triangles just overall aren't for me.
- Supporting Characters: I felt that the supporting characters needed a bit more development. Asa and Riven both had amazing backstories and development that the rest of the crew seemed to be lacking. Ty had such an interesting story and he made so many huge plot-shifting decisions, but I had no idea what his motivation was behind them or what his thought process was besides his love for the crew. Especially with the ending, I think that Ty deserved a bit more backstory/fleshing out.

As a girl who loves computer science much like Asa, I felt the only fitting way to end this review would be with code...

System.out.println("Do you like cool sapphic main characters with vibrant rich settings and a book that will make you adore sci-fi?");
System.out.println("Enter Y or N");
String answer=sc.nextLine();
if (answer.equalsIgnoreCase("Y"))
System.out.println("What are you doing, go preorder this book ASAP!!");
else
System.out.println("Still make sure to preorder this book and support the author because it's a fun fast-paced read that you won't regret picking up!");

Asa had never expected to finish the day as a hired criminal.

tw // blood, gore, death, murder, bullets, abusive parents

rep // bi mcs, biracial Japanese-Portuguese mc, gay side characters, nonbinary side character

City of Shattered Lights follows Asa who after finding out that her tech leader father is willing to use Kaya, her sister as his latest test subject as a host for an Enti brain, escapes to Requillum, a gang lead, wild world. After hearing that her father's friend Josiah has her sister's body, she escapes with her brain hoping to reunite with him on Earth.

On Requillum however she runs into a bounty hunter and then joins up with Riven and her crew under a false name to try to get the brain to earth. But they're not the only ones after the brain! An AI virus is hacking into the entire city following Asa to try to get to it, putting the entire city into lockdown. With a shaky alliance with Riven's crew, she attempts to escape and find a ship to Earth and save her sister!

While I wanted to love this, I found it to overall be rather boring. The plot at the beginning seemed interesting and fresh, but every step along the way seems a rather cookie cutter version of every sci-fi book i've read before. I found all the plot twists (and betrayals) to be expected, and very formulaic. I did appreciate the wlw moments, but it wasn't enough to keep be excited for the book.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH, I honestly had requested it only for the cover and because it said it was a sapphic novel, and it was SO worth it. Everyone should read it, the narration was so good and the characters so interesting.
I hate cliffhangers because I can't wait for the next one, in the same way with this, can't wait to see what's next from Claire Winn

This is an exciting, flashy, and colorful sci fi. I really loved the premise, and I was hoping that I'd like it a little more than I did. Overall, it works. I think it'd be an excellent graphic novel, and I especially enjoyed the setting that this story was in. The pacing felt a little off to me and the plot points felt a bit predictable, but other than that-- this was a quick and easy read. Thank you so much Netgalley and Flux/North Star Editions for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4 STARS

I went into CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT knowing nothing other than it was sapphic, it was sci-fi, and it had found family—all of which is the recipe for an amazing book. A captivating tale of adventure and action, CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT would appeal to lovers of fast-paced cyberpunk books.

CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT is a young adult science fiction novel.. It follows two points of view of our main characters—Asa and Riven. Asa is an heiress of a tech company who desperately strives for her father's apporval. Riven is a conwoman who is determined to prove herself and get to the top of society. When Asa's father uploads her sister's brain to an experimental piece of technology, Asa is set on rescuing her. However, in a turn of events, Asa crosses paths with Riven, and they are forced to work together.

The characters in this book were phenomenal. Not only were our main characters fleshed out well, but our side characters were also. I do wish that they had a bit more involvement, but I enjoyed the rag-tag team of characters and their banter. The worldbuilding was also excellent. I was a bit confused at some times, especially since I am new to the science fiction genre, but it was fairly easy to understand and the author made sure to remind us of different elements. The writing was beautifully done and helped capture the vivid imagery of the world. It made me just want to jump into the book and explore it myself (though, that would probably not be the best idea). I enjoyed the pacing of the book, but sometimes I felt like I needed a bit of a breather in between action sequences. Overall, CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT was a fantastic debut and I'll be sure to be on the lookout for more books by Claire Winn in the future.

5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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City of Shattered Light was fantastic! I loved everything about it, from the badass characters and the exciting, fast-paced plot all the way to the very end, where I gasped in outrage and shock before running to demand a sequel. The writing style was very thematic, with the different planets having their own “feel” to them and the dialogue flowing very nicely. A few aspects fell flat, such as the side characters (Diego, Samir, I’m looking at you) who didn’t get enough spotlight, but I still felt a connection with them. The focus of the story was definitely on the main characters, Riven and Asa, but it was much more action-based than romance-based. The book deals with each main character’s story and desires while maintaining relationships between the crew and their common goals. When the path to the goal gets sidetracked, it takes the crew on a wild ride and tests their bonds while pushing all of them to the limit.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am making it 5 stars sheerly out of my desire to continue reading about this universe. There are so many unanswered questions and curiosities I’d love to have addressed!

Thank you to netgalley and North Star Editions/Flux for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

When I first started this book the writing style took me a little while to get used to, but once I got invested, I got INVESTED

This book was so FUN. The characters were easy to connect to (Riven was my favorite, love her) and the plot/plot twists had me speeding through to find out where everyone would end up

I also thought the heists were super fun to follow, it's always great to see how characters get out of a situation when their plans get all messed up.

I am a sucker for ragtag crew/found family as well so this book was right up my alley.

I have mixed feelings on the romance in the book, not because I thought it was bad, and not because there was a love triangle, but the pacing of them just kind of felt strange. This wasn't the case with every romantic scene, but there were a couple where I was like "Isn't there something else you should be focusing on right now?"

Overall though I loved this book, I do highly recommend it to anyone looking for sci fi with romance, found families, and crime (these are a few of my favorite things)

My tiktok about this book: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdpw5Shj/ (I have also linked it in the separate box, but it does not seem to be showing up for me when I check)

Claire Winn's writing was incredibly captivating. The world building was great. I really enjoyed the fast pace of this novel. There wasn't a moment when I wasn't kept interested. Even the imagery was very nice, painting vibrate pictures in my head. The characters dynamics and relationships with each other was definitely a highlight. The queer found family was so much lot of fun. I feel that the secondary characters needed more development. I'm hoping for more about them in the sequel. There was a surprise love triangle with a guy which I find a bit odd since it wasn't mentioned in the blurb at all. Love triangles aren't my favorite trope and this didn't change my mind about them.

Loved it! It was a sapphic, space, sci fi dream. The characters were so lovable and the plot was so interesting,

AGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!! found family, enemies to lovers, sci fi, sapphic! could this book have been any better

after reading the synopsis for this book I need I had to get it ASAP. When my request was approved by net galley I was ecstatic. I was a little worried that it would drag since it is a long book but not once was I bored. this book balanced thoughtful character development and fast paced action perfectly.

the characters were all compelling in there own way and I fell in love with our heroes and my hatred grew and grew for the villains. every character had so many layers and the relationships, bonds and betrayals between them had so much depth it almost seemed real. I was broken after finishing this book because I was so sad that their adventure had ended.

While I love sci fi I admit it can sometimes be hard to get sucked into the world, but not with this book. by chapter three I was completely invented. the world building is so beautiful and the author did a great job of world building without just putting it all in an info dump. it was easy to understand and easy to get lost in.

this book is filled with so many of my favorite tropes and the plot was fantastic!!! A rag tag team of heroes forced to work together despite their grudges to save the world. You might be saying to yourself what sets this book apart from others similar? well this book is a classic sci fi book but yet it feels so new and different. the plot is so familiar but yet so creative and different which is my favorite!!

so long story short this book is amazing. PLEASE READ IT!!!

CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT is a high octane sci-fi wrapped around a heart of sisterhood and friendship. I loved Asa, wanted to be Riven, and fell completely into Winn’s vivid worldbuilding. Perfect for fans of Mass Effect or the Expanse!

City of Shattered Light is a fast paced sapphic Sci Fi/urban fantasy book about two girls from different worlds..literally

Riven is a gunslinging scavenger, originally from earth, currently residing in the neon soaked streets of Requiem, a haven for outlaws of all kinds. She and her ragtag found family are fighting for what they deserve and trying to take over the city. Dodging mercenaries, crime syndicates, and collecting bounties, they have their work cut out for them.

Asanna Almeida, or Asa, is an heiress to her fathers technological empire. Her father, Luca, is an evil genius who will do whatever he can to further the advancement of his research, no matter who it hurts. Unfortunately Asa’s sister Kaya is one of the main test subjects for Luca’s current project. In an attempt to break away, Kaya and Asa are separated. Asa has to betray her father and lose everything in order to save Kaya.

Asa and Riven meet after Asa crash lands on requiem and is kidnapped by a rival bounty hunter. Riven manages to help Asa escape but neither girl knows if they can trust each other.

We follow along as this group fights their way across requiem to save Kaya and attempt to defeat a mysterious tech virus known as Banshee.

If you love enemies to lovers or found family tropes, this book is for you. City of Shattered Light is mysterious, exciting, and emotional. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to North Star Editions for providing me an e-Arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a treat! The cyberpunk elements mixed with black mirror vibes made the story such a fun and immersive book.

The writing is beautifully done. The imagery was amazing. My head was full of glowing, electrified descriptions of the surroundings. It was such a fun ride.

In terms of the plot, I have to say that it was well developed and innovative in a way that makes the reader not want to stop reading. We get to explore the consequences of AI and the way it can affect it on a higher level. But we also get to explore the dynamics between the characters that threaten to break a fragile alliance.

Characters:

Ty: A first-year medical student with a distaste for violence. He is a pure sweetheart.

Riven: Gun-slinging smuggler. Riven is such a strong female lead. Ngl, she gave me Aelin vibes from tog. She was fierce and ready to protect her loved ones. A badass, take-no-bullshit kind of girl.

Asa: heiress to a powerful tech empire but naive to the atrocities that happen behind curtains. She was such an interesting character to read and her desire to save her sister was well developed.

Overall, this is a very good and electric sci-fi story. The writing is immersive, the pace is fast and the plot is engaging.