I really enjoy the basis of this novel, especially The Banshee and the teamwork of the characters involved. The romances felt kind of forced though and that took away from the enjoyment of the novel for me. I don't mind what seems to be the bi nature of the main character, but just the feelings she feels towards two of the other characters feels very forced at times and took away from the plot.

Asanna is the daughter and heiress of Luca Almeida, head of a high-tech empire. When her father goes too far and puts Asa's sister's (Kaya) life in danger, she realizes that he will stop at nothing to gain more power, even if it means hurting and killing innocent people. Asa flees her home after stealing a key piece of her father’s new top-secret project. Now she needs to escape from her father’s bounty hunter, and find a way to get to Earth to meet with the only person able to stop her father’s dark project and save Asa's sister. Things do not go as planned when Asa ends up stranded in Requiem, where a deadly computer virus follows her and threatens the safety of everyone if Asa does not give up what she stole from her father's lab.

Riven is a thief, smuggler, and badass member of a crime syndicate who needs to get a lot of money real fast after failing her last mission or she will be killed by her matriarch. Riven is willing to do almost anything to find herself at the top of Requiem's criminal society. She and her crew might find the perfect occasion to get rich and famous when they get ahold of the infamous Almeida's heir.

My only complaint about the characters is more about the secondary characters. While Asa and Riven are very interesting and dynamic, the secondary characters lack depth and development. They are a part of the story and they are distinct with their own set of skills and personality, but their development was lacking and I didn't get attached to them that much even though they are full of potential. Hopefully, we will see more of them in the next book.

The writing is good and immersing. The descriptions of the setting and the use of futuristic technology are very interesting and well presented. There is no info dump, and the information that we need to know is presented clearly as the book progresses. The description of Requiem is so vivid and colorful, I could picture it and I really loved the ruthless, chaotic, and exotic vibe of this place. The cyberpunk-influenced world-building blew me away and that says a lot because I am picky when it comes to reading sci-fi.

The plot is original and has a certain complexity. It might seem like a simple heist or revenge story at first, but it becomes more complex as the story moves forward. The pace is fast and there is a lot of action, once I got into this book, I had a hard time putting it down. City of Shattered light is full of dangerous conflicts and life or death situations and it is very engaging.

There are a few betrayals in this book, and it kept me on my toes, but I am a little disappointed because the identity of the real “villain” behind the Winterdark project was not a surprise for me. Somehow I had my doubt since the very beginning, so even though it was a nice plot twist, I was expecting it.

Overall, this is a very good and surprising sci-fi story. The writing is smooth, the pace is fast and the plot is engaging and full of twists and action. The main characters are interesting and there is even a touch of romance among all the fighting and scheming and I really enjoyed reading it!

Review shared on Goodreads on May 29

A new and interesting sci-fi with high stakes, all the feels, and found family,
This book was easy to read but the love triangle seemed a bit unnecessary, hence me only giving it 4 stars,

I really enjoyed this book. I easily connected with the main characters, and I enjoyed the plot. The writing style was beautiful and I can't wait to own a copy. I really enjoyed reading an LGBTQ+ Sci-fi book. The author is incredible. This was one of my highest rated books of the month.

"City Of Shattered Lights" follows our two main characters, a smuggler named Riven Hawthorne and a runaway heiress called Asa Almeida, as they join forces to reunite Asa with her sister, all the while trying to figure out a stop the virus that seems hell bent on making things difficult for them.

The most interesting part of this book was its world building. It felt unique and fascinating. The descriptions and action scenes, although perfectly okay, felt far too dragged out and lengthy, to the point of distracting me from the actual scene.

I guess I was really excited after reading the blurb and was expecting more from the characters but sometimes it was difficult to connect with them, especially Asa and sometimes Riven too.

The romance didn't sweep me off my feet but it wasn't that bad, love triangle and all.

Overall it was an okay read.

A high three stars with lots of room for growth!

My expectations for City of Shattered Light weren’t exactly high, and I think the reality has surpassed them in many ways. There is, of course, something to be considered in the fact that this is a very early edition— I’m betting that this would be four or five stars with a little more editing. But mostly I was shocked by how much I genuinely enjoyed the characters, Riven’s crew’s interactions, and even the plot (which, while not my favourite, was certainly action-packed and never boring, a definite win). One thing particularly of note is that I loved how there wasn’t any time when I felt like the author was info-dumping, and most pieces of information were actually pretty easy to remember, making for an easy and not-confusing reading experience.

My biggest critiques would probably be that a) the wlw romance felt a little rushed— not on-page but in the characters’ minds— and b) there was a definite overuse of em-dadhes. Which is a really weird thing to notice, but they were used so often that it actually stood out to me. Which. Uh. Says something. Mostly, I think that Winn’s novel is good, but simply could be better. Hopefully the editing process will clear some of that up, and by the time the novel is in hardcover, it’ll be purely enjoyable!

FUCK.
I was reading the last chapter of this book and I was like "Yeah, I think that's cool, I guess" and then I got to the epilogue and my mind was blown. So, yes, I need to praise this book.
Asanna Almeida is the daughter of Luca Almeida and the heiress to his tech empire. Asa needs to prove that she deserves to participate more in her father's works, to prove she's not just a heiress, but all of that changes when her manipulative dad put Kaya's, her sister, life in danger. Now, Asa will do anything to save her life, even if that means lying to a crew of criminals who are the only ones that can help to save Kaya.
So, Sci-fi is not my first reading choice, but sapphics are and OMG that cover is so beautful, it has to be one of my favorite covers ever. And I was really liking it... Until I realized that there was a love triangle happening. And, I'm sorry, but love triangles are definitely my least favorite trope and I guess that affected my enjoyment of this reading, although it was not a bad reading at all.
I wish the book had a better development of the secondary characters but I also think that's something that can be easily fixed if there's a second book. Sometimes, Asa would annoy me but I could get why she did what she did. I also could feel that some scenes could be smaller because after some time they started feeling kinda boring (?).
To wrap this up, my favorite character is definitely Diego and I have soooooo many questions about him. It was a great debut book and I look forward to reading more of Claire's books and also about Asa and Riven!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange of a honest review.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

One word comes to mind in association with this book: WOW.

This follows the story of Asanna, a very intelligent engineer/mechanist who is gentle and kind, and Riven, a somewhat morally grey gun-slinging outlaw. Asa becomes a runaway fugitive after stealing a very important piece of machinery from her father in order to save her sister's life. She ends up stranded on Requiem, the moon to her planet, and runs into Riven and her crew. They all begin to work together to save Asa's sister, keep Riven's crew out of jail and the hands of organ pirates, and to save Requiem from a nasty AI.

First of all, the characters in this are SO AMAZING. Asa is sweet and a little naïve and sheltered, but is strong and steadfast in her beliefs and willingness to protect those she cares about. Riven is impulsive, head-strong, a little violent, and snarky, and everything she does is to keep her crew safe and happy. The others in Riven's crew are just as complex and amazing and witty, and all of them working together is such a blast. The characters are all unique and add something different to the table, and none of them are one dimensional.

As for the writing, it is really phenomenal. The plot and events flow seamlessly and not once did a scene feel unnecessary or like some kind of filler. The action was NONSTOP and the stakes kept getting higher. It was so easy to understand and follow the story, with no instances of info-dumping or choppy writing/dialogue. The world itself, while complex, was so outstanding and easy to understand once the story got going.

The romance was a sub-plot, which I didn't mind, because amidst the chaos they were dealing with, it wouldn't have made sense for romance to be a big focus of the story. While the main romance is between Asa and Riven (did I mention enemies to lovers!?) there was a sort of little thing between Asa and Ty (one of the crew members) which I felt was unnecessary... it didn't really feel organic and I didn't understand why anything was happening between the two of them. The back and forth between Asa and Riven was delicious, both unsure of trusting the other and scared to start something but unable to deny to pull towards each other.

The ending was a bit abrupt but definitely packed a punch, especially the epilogue. There is a lot more that can happen and be expanded upon and I cannot wait for the next one.

I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book. The plot was well paced and highly engaging. The found family element was so sweet and by the end of the book i was very attached to the characters. I most definitely would recommend this book

I have received an ARC e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This will be a 2 stars read for me, unfortunately.

I’m removing a star because I almost DNFed at the beginning. It was way too quick, no subtleties in the characters and just over the top. Especially the villain.

But because it was an ARC, I decided to give it a longer read and try to finish it to be able to give a more well-rounded review. To be honest if this wasn’t the case, I would have stopped and would not have miss much, as I found the story to be quite average as a whole.

Now, this is not such a bad thing. Lots of books I read are average and still a good time. This one just wasn’t for me.

If you have not read a lot of sci-fi, like adventures in space with bounty hunters and space stories are filled with crews and crime syndicates and all the usual shenanigans...you might enjoy this one.

Personally, it was just a déjà-vu story. I found everything was going too fast. I did not care for the characters, and they had a lot of feelings, going all back and forth and yet too easy. I don’t know.
The main « good guys » were ok (mostly) but man, the villains...over the top predictable...

There is an open-ending but truly you can read this as a stand-alone as a self contained story. I will not read the next installment if there is one.

I really enjoyed City of Shattered Light, a YA sci-fi fantasy with a dash romance. Set in the Alpha Centaur System, with a wonderful cast of characters, this is a rescue mission that you HAVE to be part of. Join our main character as she rushes to save her sister from her father even resorting to working with some of the worst criminal gangs around. I really enjoyed City of Shattered Light and I can't wait to read future works from Winn!

If you're interested in fast-paced, action packed sci-fi that also happens to have a bisexual love triangle then this is the book for you! While it is fast paced, I didn't feel rushed while reading it. Each scene flows into the next effortlessly.
The story follows Asa as she is trying to escape her father, and she inadvertently joins up with an underworld crew led by Riven, who is desperate to make a name for herself in the underworld.
Asa's motivation and conflicts are believable and the entire cast seems fleshed out. Both her and the other female lead, Riven, are strong independent women in their own unique ways. I love the character development each of them has, and that it's a struggle and gradual shift.
I sat down and started this book around 9:30am and finished it the same day. If anything, I wish it had been a little longer. Hopefully with that ending (no spoilers here), there will be a sequel at the very least.
Claire Winn's an author to keep an eye on and I look forward to seeing where she goes.

Thank you to North Star Editions and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book so I could send my honest review ahead of release!

This was urban SFF done brilliantly. Both of the main characters were incredibly engaging and relatable, the world they live in is bright and colorful and complex, and the adventures they go on together are just super fun and exciting to read about.
Most of the story takes place on Reqiuem: a terraformed moon, where the nights last for ages, and the neon-drenched streets are controlled by rouge, criminal organizations. The social hierarchy is fascinating, and our protagonist Riven can't wait to climb the ladder and make a name for herself. After all, that might be all she'll ever leave behind.
Asa, on the other hand, grew up in privilege - and until her sister's life is in danger, she never really questioned the way her father's tech might not be all she made it out to be.

The tension in this book was... something. I don't want to give too much away, but the immanent sense of dread, the feeling of being followed and constantly in danger - it really got to me, and I think it was done brilliantly.
I also really liked our core crew of characters, all of them having this mutual adoration for each other and their skillsets. Definitely very wholesome found family content.

If you're a fan of Sci-Fi, urban fantasy and a good old sapphic enemies to lovers storyline, what are you waiting for? Get on this right now!

This book takes the hijinx and the found family from Guardians of the Galaxy, combines it with the cyberpunk-infused worlds of Altered Carbon and Battle Angel Alita, and weaves it all into a story that’s wholly unique and fun.

City of Shattered Light is an action-packed YA sci-fi adventure featuring two main female leads. Riven is a badass outlaw gunslinger while Asa is a tech-savvy heiress on the run. The two have to team up to try and stop an evil corporation, a bubblegum-chewing bounty hunter, and an out-of-control AI virus threatening to destroy Asa’s sister and Riven’s beloved outlaw city.

The cyberpunk-influenced world building really blew me away with the color and life. Riven is now one of my all-time favorite “tough” girls because while she’s a total badass, she’s still so much more than a cardboard, tough-girl heroine cutout. She’s flawed and funny and her constant head butting with her team members is so, so fun to read. All of the characters were so real; I found myself wanting to be a part of Riven’s crew and I loved seeing them through Asa’s eyes as she discovered more about them and the outlaw city of Requiem. The stakes keep getting higher and higher as the different parties out for Riven and her crew collide with darkness on Asa’s trail, leading to an explosive and emotional climax that blew me away.

Overall, City of Shattered Light is a great read. There’s a bit of romance and multiple queer characters that really shine. As every chapter pulls the reader deeper into the underbelly of the city, the deeper the reader goes into the story itself, making the book harder and harder to put down as the action and tension heat up. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved it!

This book is a trap, as soon as I started reading it I couldn't put it down.
.
It's a scifi, fantasy story with characters of different genres and a bit of romance.
.
The heir to an intergalactic technology emporium is willing to do anything to save her sister from her father's hands and experiments, including infiltrating and negotiating with her kidnappers and the bosses of Requiem's ​​worst criminal gangs.
.
Set in the alpha centaur stellar system, this closely related and lovable group of characters grapple with their personal stories as they try to get out alive and find something to be a part of.
.
Thank to North Star editions and Netgalley for give me this great book in exchange for my honest review, I really enjoyed it reading and I will looking forward to read more of this story

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I really enjoyed this book! At times, I found the characters a bit annoying but by the end I loved all of them. I didn’t really like the amount of miscommunication though. It was a very interesting story and kept my attention throughout the book. The action was exciting and the relationships between all the characters were special. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys sci-fi and is looking for queer representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flux Books for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Oh my god. I can’t get over this book. Riven, Asa, Kaya, Ty... it’s just all so good! It’s few and far between that I absolutely love a Sci-Fi book and this one checked all the boxes. I absolutely LOVED this! Winn has a way of weaving normal feelings with a sci-fi set of problems in a way in which this book flows with action while pulling at your heart strings.

Found family and enemies to lovers are pretty high up on my trope list. I throughly enjoy each of them for different reasons but combining the two is a winning combination. It’s done so effortlessly within the pages of City of Shattered Light. It’s hard to deny feeing for Asa, despite what her father has been doing. It’s also not hard to root for Riven after hearing her backstory. Her crew become easy to love and the journey they and Asa embark on fills the pages with mystery, intensity and keeps you flipping to find out what will happen next,

Also- THAT EPILOGUE?! Excuse me, please tell me there will be more because I can’t get enough! This was so good. Even if you aren’t a Sci-Fi lover, Winn will make you fall in love with this Galaxy, characters and Sci-Fi!

Asa is a coding genius and the heiress to a powerful tech company. Asa's sister tests out the new tech invented, including brain chips. Their father takes things too far and uploads her sister's mind to an experimental project which will eventually reprogram her mind. In an attempt to save her sister from being wiped out forever, Asa steals the project and runs away to find someone who can help but ends up in the hands of a dangerous thief for hire.

Riven is the leader of a smuggling crew and working her way up the outlaw hierarchy in Requiem. Riven believes the best way to do this is to steal the cargo from her biggest rival only to discover Asa is the cargo. Riven must decide to help Asa save her sister or use Asa to give herself a leg up in Requiem.

Meanwhile a virus has escaped the labs at Asa's tech company and has infected all of the tech throughout Requiem causing citywide blackouts, putting a halt to both of their plans

This was an action packed young adult sci-fi novel set in a futuristic world where humans live on other planets and tech is supreme. I couldn't put it down. The world building was fantastic. It was easy to understand and imagine everything.

There is some romance as a side storyline, although not the main focus, with a M/F/F love triangle. I was a little annoyed with Asa as she came off as indecisive when it came to her love life. With a big cliffhanger at the end I'm hoping for a 2nd book to find out how it resolves.

Thank you to Netgalley & North Star Editions/Flux books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a 3.5 star read. I loved the world the author has built and the idea behind the conflict. The characters were sympathetic and I rooted for them with all my heart. One of the drawbacks to the book was that it was too action packed. I personally prefer books driven by characters, but I am sure there are readers that prefer it this way!

In addition the book was advertised as sapphic romance, but there was a lack of it for me. The author portrayed a love triangle between M/F/F and the main focus was on the M/F side. We got some development in the later part of the book for the F/F, but I was expecting more. Nevertheless the relationships were cute.

Overall this was a really fun sci-fi read and I will definitely recommend it!

I was instantly drawn to this book when I saw the gorgeous cover. The story itself is even better. I'm a sucker for a misfit group of riffraff coming together to fight for a common goal and we definitely get that in City of Shattered Light. Runaway tech heiress Asa has to team up with gunslinging Riven and her crew of smugglers to save her sister and the city from a rogue A.I.
The action is non-stop and jam-packed with mechs, strange creatures, bullets, mercenaries and a range of fascinating sci-fi technology.
This was such a fun read. I loved the romance, queer found family trope, and the neon city setting. That epilogue though! I'm definitely hoping we get a sequel out of this one.