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A review by lezreadalot
Shattered by Lee Winter
3.0
2.5 stars. I won't put too fine a point on it, but the end of this book kinda felt like a slap to the face. I didn't like it. If I had read reviews before starting this, I'd have been prepared for that, but I didn't, so I wasn't prepared. I never read the entirety of blurbs (since most blurbs give away too much) but even if I had read this one, I'd have still thought that this was a romance with an HEA. Because I really loved our two main characters together. Mileages vary, I guess, as I've read reviews from people who saw it coming/didn't think Lena and Nyah had chemistry, but I loved them together. Especially since they were both butch/andro. We don't get a lot of butch/butch f/f romance and I was soooooo happy about that. So the ending tripped me up so bad. I was making food while listening to the last part and my egg ended up getting a little burned because I was just stood there in my kitchen staring into space like 'huh???'
The rest of the book was fine. I liked the world-building around the Guardians; that type of alternate history stuff is really interesting to me. I was never super convinced of how the cover up could last for so long, but I guess I get it. The commentary on race wasn't particularly refined but I guess I appreciated it. I liked Lena a lot, particularly her educational background; I just love having characters with issues like that. (I'm not sure if it was dyslexia or a learning disability, but I appreciate the inclusion.) I adored Nyah, everything about her physical description and powers and background. And I honestly might have adored her more if this was only Lena's POV. I know I've said it before, but I feel like single POV romance can be so special when it thoroughly shows you one character through another's eyes. This is the second book I've read by Winters where she abruptly introduced a second POV after the halfway point and I really really did not like that. I'm picky! I know! The writing was fine; I've definitely read better from Winter. And again, there were some pet peeves of mine that just kept popping up.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Abby Craden; great as always. I guess the book itself was fine, but for me, it was a huge let-down. RIP to my romantic expectations and also to my sandwich.
(I still ate it tho.)
The rest of the book was fine. I liked the world-building around the Guardians; that type of alternate history stuff is really interesting to me. I was never super convinced of how the cover up could last for so long, but I guess I get it. The commentary on race wasn't particularly refined but I guess I appreciated it. I liked Lena a lot, particularly her educational background; I just love having characters with issues like that. (I'm not sure if it was dyslexia or a learning disability, but I appreciate the inclusion.) I adored Nyah, everything about her physical description and powers and background. And I honestly might have adored her more if this was only Lena's POV. I know I've said it before, but I feel like single POV romance can be so special when it thoroughly shows you one character through another's eyes. This is the second book I've read by Winters where she abruptly introduced a second POV after the halfway point and I really really did not like that. I'm picky! I know! The writing was fine; I've definitely read better from Winter. And again, there were some pet peeves of mine that just kept popping up.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Abby Craden; great as always. I guess the book itself was fine, but for me, it was a huge let-down. RIP to my romantic expectations and also to my sandwich.
(I still ate it tho.)