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The Superheroine Collection #1
Shattered
Shattergirl, Earth’s first lesbian guardian—a brilliant but aloof alien superheroine who can hurl and destroy large objects—is refusing to save people and has gone off the grid.
Lena Martin, the street-smart tracker with a silver tongue and a disdain for the rogue guardians she chases, has only days to bring her home. As the pair clash heatedly, masks begin to crack and brutal secrets are exposed that could shatter them both.
Winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award (2018) for Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Themes: female superheroes · lesbian · superheroines
Lena Martin, the street-smart tracker with a silver tongue and a disdain for the rogue guardians she chases, has only days to bring her home. As the pair clash heatedly, masks begin to crack and brutal secrets are exposed that could shatter them both.
Winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award (2018) for Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Themes: female superheroes · lesbian · superheroines
214 pages, ebook
First published June 6, 2017
86 people are currently reading
1,689 people want to read
About the author
Lee Winter
31books2,707followersLee Winter is an award-winning veteran newspaper journalist who has covered courts, crime, news, features and humor writing for almost three decades around Australia. Now a full-time author and part-time editor at Ylva, Lee is also a two-time Lambda Literary Award finalist and a triple Golden Crown Literary Award winner.
Want to get in touch? Email: [email protected]
Want to get in touch? Email: [email protected]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
May 7, 2023
� 4.75 Stars *:･ﾟ�
06/05/2023
I love them so much I can't even fucking deal 😭😭😭💘💘💘.
“I see you, Lena,� Nyah said, and trailed a finger down her cheek to her jaw. “For who you are. When you go back home, and long after you forget all about the woman you shared something profound with during a storm at the end of the world, take this with you—I now know why I find you so intriguing.�
Lena lifted her head to meet her gaze.
“White crows, Lena, are not as rare as you think.�
I'd rather you just fucking stab me?
“Oh,� Lena cried out in surprise. “Fuck,� she added when her body instantly arched, went taut, and she unexpectedly came again.
Nyah looked up at her from between Lena’s legs, eyes alight with pleasure, and a smirk straying across her wet lips.
Yeah, I'm gonna need some rest and relaxation and recuperation and recalibration and resussitation😊🤭💞
This book isn't for everyone, but Nyah and Lena are fucking everything to me and they're so perfect it hurts. Point BLANK.
~ original review ~
You know a book is good when your (nearly) only complaint is that you wish it were longer. Like I've mentioned previously, I noticed that this has been a book that few Winter lovers have actually enjoyed, but that could not be less applicable to me.
This book did for me what every Winter book does: it left my heart aching with adoration for endearing, relatable, real characters, and left me eyes widened from the ingenious uniqueness and plot trajectory. I love knowing that there is no such things as plot holes in a Winter novel. And, sue me, I love when every single string gets tied together into the happily ever after bow at the end.
This is a bit of a funkier book - I've never read a 'superhero(ine)' book before. But, I've found that with Winter novels, you've just got to go with the flow and enjoy the ride because it's going to be fucking good regardless.
I know your jaw unhinged after reading that. But just in general, Winter's relationship and character development is just unmatched. One thing I love about her work is how much the characters talk . You'd be surprised how many books lack sufficient substantial dialogue, but Winter brings it to the table every damn time. Both of these women talk and talk and talk, and I loved it.
Even during the sex scene(s), the inclusion of dialogue just heightens the authenticity and the tension between the characters - too good.
And just to talk again about Lena's character, I just feel it's so easy to feel for her.
The way you can just tell her sadness and pride are competing in responding to Nyah, the way she's wanted for so long to be able to answer that question with satisfaction, but now, it means little to her, and she feels as though the build-up to it was meaningless.
Lastly, Winter is so good at writing aggressive attraction that I almost wish we'd remained in the bickering 'enemies' stage just a little longer, but I do believe she wrote a shorter book to participate in the creation of this series. It's times like this were you wish Winter's work was more globally appreciated just for the possibility of hopping on ao3 and feeding my brain more of these two together. Another Winter success, what's new?
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"More," Lena said, before groaning in frustration. "Stop holding back I won't break. I'm Silver. I beat your kind. Start treating me like it."
Nyah's breathing became harsh and unsteady, her breasts and hips pushing hard into her back, flattening her onto the sleeping bag.
"You didn't beat me, though," a taunting voice next to her ear said.
━━━━━━━━━━� � ━━━━━━━━━━�
06/05/2023
I love them so much I can't even fucking deal 😭😭😭💘💘💘.
“I see you, Lena,� Nyah said, and trailed a finger down her cheek to her jaw. “For who you are. When you go back home, and long after you forget all about the woman you shared something profound with during a storm at the end of the world, take this with you—I now know why I find you so intriguing.�
Lena lifted her head to meet her gaze.
“White crows, Lena, are not as rare as you think.�
I'd rather you just fucking stab me?
“Oh,� Lena cried out in surprise. “Fuck,� she added when her body instantly arched, went taut, and she unexpectedly came again.
Nyah looked up at her from between Lena’s legs, eyes alight with pleasure, and a smirk straying across her wet lips.
Yeah, I'm gonna need some rest and relaxation and recuperation and recalibration and resussitation😊🤭💞
This book isn't for everyone, but Nyah and Lena are fucking everything to me and they're so perfect it hurts. Point BLANK.
~ original review ~
You know a book is good when your (nearly) only complaint is that you wish it were longer. Like I've mentioned previously, I noticed that this has been a book that few Winter lovers have actually enjoyed, but that could not be less applicable to me.
This book did for me what every Winter book does: it left my heart aching with adoration for endearing, relatable, real characters, and left me eyes widened from the ingenious uniqueness and plot trajectory. I love knowing that there is no such things as plot holes in a Winter novel. And, sue me, I love when every single string gets tied together into the happily ever after bow at the end.
This is a bit of a funkier book - I've never read a 'superhero(ine)' book before. But, I've found that with Winter novels, you've just got to go with the flow and enjoy the ride because it's going to be fucking good regardless.
� Nyah (h) is so fine don't even talk to me. I imagined her as the woman on the cover of because whew 😦. She's intelligent, strong, hot and most importantly, good-hearted. I really loved her as a character and the way she interacted with Lena was just *chef's kiss*.
"I don't even know who Silver is beyond some myth. But Lena Martin's someone worth knowing. Worth sharing my bed. She's so much more than a tracker."
� Lena (h) has my whole heart too. I just have this weakness for smart, strong women sent on brutal missions that make them reach their emotional breaking point. Her backstory is heartbreaking, her intelligence and capability is (so sexy), but her vulnerability is what really gets me. Upon reaching her breaking point, we see her in shambles and she's left with self-hatred and a feeling of helplessness. Of defeat. It rips your heart out, but seeing how she's able to open up to Nyah is everything. Also, even though we're told she didn't do well in school, her she reeks of desperation for academic validation and it's all a little bit too relatable. And yeah, she's hot too.
"I've tracked down almost seventy of your people over the years," Lena said. "Many of them -men and women- have wanted to fuck over the great Silver for beating them...or just fuck her."
Nyah's breath hitched.
Lena lifted her fingers to her own shirt and began to slowly unbutton it. "They may have wanted me, but they can't have me. Not one single Guardian gets to touch Silver." She unhooked her bra and flung it to the ground. "No one gets to have me - except you."
I know your jaw unhinged after reading that. But just in general, Winter's relationship and character development is just unmatched. One thing I love about her work is how much the characters talk . You'd be surprised how many books lack sufficient substantial dialogue, but Winter brings it to the table every damn time. Both of these women talk and talk and talk, and I loved it.
Even during the sex scene(s), the inclusion of dialogue just heightens the authenticity and the tension between the characters - too good.
And just to talk again about Lena's character, I just feel it's so easy to feel for her.
Nyah's book snapped shut again and she peered at Lena over it. "How long have you been a tracker?" she suddenly asked.
"Five years."
"Are you any good at it?"
"The best."
The way you can just tell her sadness and pride are competing in responding to Nyah, the way she's wanted for so long to be able to answer that question with satisfaction, but now, it means little to her, and she feels as though the build-up to it was meaningless.
Lastly, Winter is so good at writing aggressive attraction that I almost wish we'd remained in the bickering 'enemies' stage just a little longer, but I do believe she wrote a shorter book to participate in the creation of this series. It's times like this were you wish Winter's work was more globally appreciated just for the possibility of hopping on ao3 and feeding my brain more of these two together. Another Winter success, what's new?
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
━━━━━━━━━━� � ━━━━━━━━━━�
June 23, 2017
3 1/2 Stars. First I want to make clear, I'm a big fan of Winter's. I loved Requiem and The Red Files, I thought they were wonderful. Unfortunately, for me, this book was just good, not great. This book took me 3 almost 4 days to read. That is not normal for me. I mostly read a book a day, especially when it comes to Winter's other two books, I read them in one sitting. I could not put them down. Now I will admit I am sick, have a stupid summer cold. I don't read as much when I am sick, but I was stuck at the 50% mark, and nothing was making me pick the book back up. I'm glad I finally finished it. I did like it. It just was not what I was expecting.
I love sci-fi and superheroes, I could not wait to read this book. It was just not the premise, I was hoping for. It was also depressing at times. It reminded you about some of the worst in humanity. One of the reasons I love sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal, is it transports you into a different time or place. Your imagination runs wild, and you forget about what is going on IRL, for the 4 hours or so you read it. Instead, this made me think too much about what is going on right now, and how bad things could get in the next 3 1/2 years. I wanted escapism, not a feeling I could get by turning on a news show. Again this is a personal preference, so YMMV.
My other slight issue, is before any other reviews came out, I thought this was also going to be a lesfic romance. It is not a romance. And even thought I knew from other reviews about the ending already, while reading the book I was not surprised. The two mains really did not have chemistry together. Yes, I'll admit there was a steamy sex scene, but being compatible in bed, does not mean love and romance. To me this book screamed the definition of friends with benefits. I just could not picture them in a long term relationship.
I liked how the main superhero story wrapped up. It was a satisfying ending. Maybe a little easy, but I was happy for it at the time. I'm not sure if Winter will write a sequel. There are other YLVA authors writing books in this superhero world. I did like this enough that I will be reading those books too.
While this book was not what I was hoping for, I'm still a big Winter fan. Some of my complaints are just personal preferences, or I was hoping for something different. You may end up liking this more than I did. Even though I didn't love this, it was still a really well written book, like all Winter's are. I'm still happily looking forward to her next book.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA, for a honest review.
I love sci-fi and superheroes, I could not wait to read this book. It was just not the premise, I was hoping for. It was also depressing at times. It reminded you about some of the worst in humanity. One of the reasons I love sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal, is it transports you into a different time or place. Your imagination runs wild, and you forget about what is going on IRL, for the 4 hours or so you read it. Instead, this made me think too much about what is going on right now, and how bad things could get in the next 3 1/2 years. I wanted escapism, not a feeling I could get by turning on a news show. Again this is a personal preference, so YMMV.
My other slight issue, is before any other reviews came out, I thought this was also going to be a lesfic romance. It is not a romance. And even thought I knew from other reviews about the ending already, while reading the book I was not surprised. The two mains really did not have chemistry together. Yes, I'll admit there was a steamy sex scene, but being compatible in bed, does not mean love and romance. To me this book screamed the definition of friends with benefits. I just could not picture them in a long term relationship.
I liked how the main superhero story wrapped up. It was a satisfying ending. Maybe a little easy, but I was happy for it at the time. I'm not sure if Winter will write a sequel. There are other YLVA authors writing books in this superhero world. I did like this enough that I will be reading those books too.
While this book was not what I was hoping for, I'm still a big Winter fan. Some of my complaints are just personal preferences, or I was hoping for something different. You may end up liking this more than I did. Even though I didn't love this, it was still a really well written book, like all Winter's are. I'm still happily looking forward to her next book.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA, for a honest review.
June 10, 2018
I received an ARC of this book from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Damn. This is, unexpectedly, one quite good book. I had kept putting this one off because something about it looked vaguely depressing, and, while I tended to like the other works by this author, I didn’t do so at the same level of others � and some of those others seemed less impressed with this book. But then I read Winter’s most recent book, and had been very favorably impressed, so, I finally dove in.
One note before I continue: I note above that this is an ‘ARC�. That’s an odd thing to say about a book that’s been published for a while, eh? Did I get the ARC then take forever to read it? Is that what I meant in the first paragraph about ‘finally dove in�? No � when June 2018 ARC’s were offered, I was given the chance to select previously published books, and I selected two of the three current Superhero Collection books (I’d already read the third). So, no, this is not a long delayed read of an ARC I got long ago, nor a long delayed review of a book I‘d read long ago.
This is a hard book to write a review about. Many of the things I think of possibly mentioning seem to bounce against possible spoiler territory. So�.
This book is specifically about two women. I’ve forgotten the age of one, though I think she’s in her thirties. The other is, if I recall correctly, 142 years old. 142, eh? That’s . . . old. Heh. One of the two women, the younger one, Lena Martin specifically, has the lead point of view for the first, oh, 64 percent of the book (65%?), before Shattergirl, Nyah, got a turn at the POV controls. Once Nyah got her hands on the POV, the point of view alternated between the two until the end of the book, though still favoring Lena’s insights.
Roughly around 1916 (or exactly then?), a spaceship flew through the skies (and broke up) and 50 aliens sat down on the lawn outside Parliament in London. The world was at war at the time, and people were on edge. The military marched up and shot at them � that was the first response, not an ‘Arrival� (the film) type of military turning up, securing things, then sending in scientists to try to communicate, no, just point guns, open fire. Oddly no one died, for, you see, the aliens had certain powers. Powers that would allow them, later, to be ‘Guardians�, or ‘Superheroes�.
Long and short: this is an alternate history that branches off from our world in 1916. The alternate history ‘What If?� question is simply: ‘what if 50 aliens with advanced powers turned up while the world was at war what would have happened next?� Well, the story doesn’t continue from that point � it leaps ahead to . . . hmm, something like 2017. Specifically to Lena Martin. Tracker.
Lena Martin works as Tracker, someone who tracks down ‘runaway� aliens. She’s shown tracking down ‘Beast Lord� at the start of the book (in Siberia); before returning home and being given a new assignment: track down Shattergirl. Rumors place her on an island off the coast of Yemen.
Superhero prose is a tough genre in a certain way � in the sense that anything might be found. Maybe the story will be light and fluffy, with humor (think Adam West Batman), maybe it will be darker, though with strains of sanity (Michael Keaton Batman with Jack Nicholson as the Joker); or maybe it’ll be out and out insanity (Heath Ledger’s Joker), and/or weirdly dark and insane (Watchman). You can’t really go in thinking ‘well, superheroes, comics, who reads comics? Who is the target audience? Kids? This’ll be light and fluffy� because you’ll be dead wrong (or right, that’s the part where superhero stories are tricky, maybe it will be light and fluffy).
Here? Well, this isn’t light and fluffy. The world is crap, and the superheroes are breaking down. There is one twist, though, that you do not normally see in superhero stories � there are no real supervillains in this story (there are ‘bad guys�, but they aren’t really supervillains, and they don’t act like bad guys).
Oh, and another thing: people expect a certain thing from ‘Romances�, as such I’ll say: there’s a romance subplot, but this is not a Romance book.
Both main characters are tough to take, and kind of dislikable at the start of the book. Heck, they might have been that way by the middle of the book, but both grew on me and ‘redeemed� themselves before the end, and I found myself rather enjoying both of them and the story.
Unexpectedly, this becomes my second favorite Lee Winter’s book, after ‘Under Your Skin.�
Rating: 4.75
June 9 2018
Damn. This is, unexpectedly, one quite good book. I had kept putting this one off because something about it looked vaguely depressing, and, while I tended to like the other works by this author, I didn’t do so at the same level of others � and some of those others seemed less impressed with this book. But then I read Winter’s most recent book, and had been very favorably impressed, so, I finally dove in.
One note before I continue: I note above that this is an ‘ARC�. That’s an odd thing to say about a book that’s been published for a while, eh? Did I get the ARC then take forever to read it? Is that what I meant in the first paragraph about ‘finally dove in�? No � when June 2018 ARC’s were offered, I was given the chance to select previously published books, and I selected two of the three current Superhero Collection books (I’d already read the third). So, no, this is not a long delayed read of an ARC I got long ago, nor a long delayed review of a book I‘d read long ago.
This is a hard book to write a review about. Many of the things I think of possibly mentioning seem to bounce against possible spoiler territory. So�.
This book is specifically about two women. I’ve forgotten the age of one, though I think she’s in her thirties. The other is, if I recall correctly, 142 years old. 142, eh? That’s . . . old. Heh. One of the two women, the younger one, Lena Martin specifically, has the lead point of view for the first, oh, 64 percent of the book (65%?), before Shattergirl, Nyah, got a turn at the POV controls. Once Nyah got her hands on the POV, the point of view alternated between the two until the end of the book, though still favoring Lena’s insights.
Roughly around 1916 (or exactly then?), a spaceship flew through the skies (and broke up) and 50 aliens sat down on the lawn outside Parliament in London. The world was at war at the time, and people were on edge. The military marched up and shot at them � that was the first response, not an ‘Arrival� (the film) type of military turning up, securing things, then sending in scientists to try to communicate, no, just point guns, open fire. Oddly no one died, for, you see, the aliens had certain powers. Powers that would allow them, later, to be ‘Guardians�, or ‘Superheroes�.
Long and short: this is an alternate history that branches off from our world in 1916. The alternate history ‘What If?� question is simply: ‘what if 50 aliens with advanced powers turned up while the world was at war what would have happened next?� Well, the story doesn’t continue from that point � it leaps ahead to . . . hmm, something like 2017. Specifically to Lena Martin. Tracker.
Lena Martin works as Tracker, someone who tracks down ‘runaway� aliens. She’s shown tracking down ‘Beast Lord� at the start of the book (in Siberia); before returning home and being given a new assignment: track down Shattergirl. Rumors place her on an island off the coast of Yemen.
Superhero prose is a tough genre in a certain way � in the sense that anything might be found. Maybe the story will be light and fluffy, with humor (think Adam West Batman), maybe it will be darker, though with strains of sanity (Michael Keaton Batman with Jack Nicholson as the Joker); or maybe it’ll be out and out insanity (Heath Ledger’s Joker), and/or weirdly dark and insane (Watchman). You can’t really go in thinking ‘well, superheroes, comics, who reads comics? Who is the target audience? Kids? This’ll be light and fluffy� because you’ll be dead wrong (or right, that’s the part where superhero stories are tricky, maybe it will be light and fluffy).
Here? Well, this isn’t light and fluffy. The world is crap, and the superheroes are breaking down. There is one twist, though, that you do not normally see in superhero stories � there are no real supervillains in this story (there are ‘bad guys�, but they aren’t really supervillains, and they don’t act like bad guys).
Oh, and another thing: people expect a certain thing from ‘Romances�, as such I’ll say: there’s a romance subplot, but this is not a Romance book.
Both main characters are tough to take, and kind of dislikable at the start of the book. Heck, they might have been that way by the middle of the book, but both grew on me and ‘redeemed� themselves before the end, and I found myself rather enjoying both of them and the story.
Unexpectedly, this becomes my second favorite Lee Winter’s book, after ‘Under Your Skin.�
Rating: 4.75
June 9 2018
June 12, 2017
I'm shattered! ...
(Arghhhh.... I can't really explain why adequately unless I mention the ending, or at least strongly hint at it. So fair warning on what follows.)
For an hour or so, that was all I could think about the book. I'm being too melodramatic, lol, but yeah, I don't think I've ever been this torn about the ending of a book that I really, really liked (and still do). I can't really avoid mentioning it either because if I'm making a purchasing decision, I'd like to know what I'm getting into. So, before we go any further, take a look at the Amazon classification of the book. It says: Lesbian Fiction, Lesbian and Superheroes. Nowhere does it say Lesbian Romance (I didn't know that, lol, and also, for 98% of the book, I'd have wondered, why the hell not??). Now if I had noticed that before I dived into the book, I might have been a little less...shattered. :)
The cover and the blurb pretty much lays out the entire premise of 'Shattered', so I don't need to repeat it. Much of the book is taken up by the spectacular battle of wills (not in the physical sense, but the verbal sparring) between the two main protagonists, Shattergirl, the rogue superhero and Lena, the one tasked to hunt her down. It was quite entertaining. I had a lot of fun imagining the progressively sour expressions on Shattergirl's face as she got from annoyed to irate to indignant...all the way to...murderous, as the pesky human tasked to bring her back into the fold refuses to take 'no' for an anwer. The back and forth parrying remains the most entertaining highlight of the book. (you know these two were just meant to be together!)
The world building is adequate. We're given enough background and information to get us by without too many questions or raised eyebrows. This being the first of a series, I think we'll get to know more about the super beings in good time. That's not really the focus of the book though. The origin story of the Guardians may be interesting, but what really matters is why Shattergirl turned her back on mankind. And that's when the author weaves her social commentary into the story. Shattergirl isn't just a token PoC or a token anything in the book. Her being different from the 'norm', in every way she's different, serves as the most important underlying theme of the book. (...and Lena is the only one who gets her, so you just know these two were meant to be together!!)
Less clear to me is Lena's story. While hers is just as intriguing, I kinda felt that it was a little too drawn out, or there was just a bit too much negative emotion wrapped up in her telling it started to give me a headache. :) I'm sure that was the author's intent though. :) I feel that there's more to the mind reading and mind blocking stuff than was tackled in the book. Maybe we'll learn more about it in the sequels? (...see they're the only two people in the world who have that connection....definitely meant to be together!!!)
The ultimate political resolution to the guardian problem seemed a little too convenient and upbeat. I'd have expected such a major upheaval to have more dire or messier consequenses (e.g. war or the threat of war) but this felt like a typical romantic tale where the external background events were written around a desired happy ending for our protagonists that needed to happen by the end of the book. (...there's the ultimate proof!!!!....need i say more?)
When the read percentage crept higher and higher towards 100, I was kind of giving myself a mental pat on the head for having pretty much sussed out all of the 'twists' that this author loves to pepper her books with. I thought, ha, I've finally figured this author out. I can see through her machinations now, lol. And then she hit me with that ending. Okay. Maybe I'd have seen it coming if I'd been paying more attention. Or rather, if I'd actually thought to check the genre this book was slotted under. Or more likely, if I wasn't such a hopeless romantic. Now I know there is such a thing as a Happy For Now, but this isn't it. I would have been perfectly happy with that. No...I'm afraid there's a bit of finality to it. A mutual understanding that it's gonna be a. What's wrong with that, you might ask. Well, I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why I was strung along for like, 98% of the book (and the hottest sex scene this side of the planet) on something that wasn't going to happen. To say that it's a letdown is a gross understatement! (...this is the hopeless romantic writing the review right now, so excuse the drama and the disbelief :)).
If I didn't have a practical, logical side to me, I'd give this book 1 star for that. But I do, and it knows, deep inside, that the main characters ..But...but... impossible loves are the best thing ever !!!!!
3.9 stars
ARC from Ylva
P.S. The author got me again, dammit! ;)
(Arghhhh.... I can't really explain why adequately unless I mention the ending, or at least strongly hint at it. So fair warning on what follows.)
For an hour or so, that was all I could think about the book. I'm being too melodramatic, lol, but yeah, I don't think I've ever been this torn about the ending of a book that I really, really liked (and still do). I can't really avoid mentioning it either because if I'm making a purchasing decision, I'd like to know what I'm getting into. So, before we go any further, take a look at the Amazon classification of the book. It says: Lesbian Fiction, Lesbian and Superheroes. Nowhere does it say Lesbian Romance (I didn't know that, lol, and also, for 98% of the book, I'd have wondered, why the hell not??). Now if I had noticed that before I dived into the book, I might have been a little less...shattered. :)
The cover and the blurb pretty much lays out the entire premise of 'Shattered', so I don't need to repeat it. Much of the book is taken up by the spectacular battle of wills (not in the physical sense, but the verbal sparring) between the two main protagonists, Shattergirl, the rogue superhero and Lena, the one tasked to hunt her down. It was quite entertaining. I had a lot of fun imagining the progressively sour expressions on Shattergirl's face as she got from annoyed to irate to indignant...all the way to...murderous, as the pesky human tasked to bring her back into the fold refuses to take 'no' for an anwer. The back and forth parrying remains the most entertaining highlight of the book. (you know these two were just meant to be together!)
The world building is adequate. We're given enough background and information to get us by without too many questions or raised eyebrows. This being the first of a series, I think we'll get to know more about the super beings in good time. That's not really the focus of the book though. The origin story of the Guardians may be interesting, but what really matters is why Shattergirl turned her back on mankind. And that's when the author weaves her social commentary into the story. Shattergirl isn't just a token PoC or a token anything in the book. Her being different from the 'norm', in every way she's different, serves as the most important underlying theme of the book. (...and Lena is the only one who gets her, so you just know these two were meant to be together!!)
Less clear to me is Lena's story. While hers is just as intriguing, I kinda felt that it was a little too drawn out, or there was just a bit too much negative emotion wrapped up in her telling it started to give me a headache. :) I'm sure that was the author's intent though. :) I feel that there's more to the mind reading and mind blocking stuff than was tackled in the book. Maybe we'll learn more about it in the sequels? (...see they're the only two people in the world who have that connection....definitely meant to be together!!!)
The ultimate political resolution to the guardian problem seemed a little too convenient and upbeat. I'd have expected such a major upheaval to have more dire or messier consequenses (e.g. war or the threat of war) but this felt like a typical romantic tale where the external background events were written around a desired happy ending for our protagonists that needed to happen by the end of the book. (...there's the ultimate proof!!!!....need i say more?)
When the read percentage crept higher and higher towards 100, I was kind of giving myself a mental pat on the head for having pretty much sussed out all of the 'twists' that this author loves to pepper her books with. I thought, ha, I've finally figured this author out. I can see through her machinations now, lol. And then she hit me with that ending. Okay. Maybe I'd have seen it coming if I'd been paying more attention. Or rather, if I'd actually thought to check the genre this book was slotted under. Or more likely, if I wasn't such a hopeless romantic. Now I know there is such a thing as a Happy For Now, but this isn't it. I would have been perfectly happy with that. No...I'm afraid there's a bit of finality to it. A mutual understanding that it's gonna be a. What's wrong with that, you might ask. Well, I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why I was strung along for like, 98% of the book (and the hottest sex scene this side of the planet) on something that wasn't going to happen. To say that it's a letdown is a gross understatement! (...this is the hopeless romantic writing the review right now, so excuse the drama and the disbelief :)).
If I didn't have a practical, logical side to me, I'd give this book 1 star for that. But I do, and it knows, deep inside, that the main characters ..But...but... impossible loves are the best thing ever !!!!!
3.9 stars
ARC from Ylva
P.S. The author got me again, dammit! ;)
December 4, 2018
I thought that Shattered (The Superheroine Collection #1) was a very interesting story. Lee Winter showed us a different angle on the superhero. With Shattergirl we see a woman who is tired and weary of being in humanity’s service 27/7 for over a century. She walks away from it all and it is Lena Martin’s job to track her down and bring her back into the fold.
What we see when mother nature forces these two damaged individuals together is that they can learn and grow from each other’s experiences. The romantic part is not exactly what you expect, there is a nice little twist there. Winter gives us a well written story with a satisfying conclusion.
f/f
Themes: the ungrateful job of being a superhero, job stress, einzelgänger, aliens, I can hear your thoughts, botanist, the ugly side of humanity, redemption.
4 stars
What we see when mother nature forces these two damaged individuals together is that they can learn and grow from each other’s experiences. The romantic part is not exactly what you expect, there is a nice little twist there. Winter gives us a well written story with a satisfying conclusion.
f/f
Themes: the ungrateful job of being a superhero, job stress, einzelgänger, aliens, I can hear your thoughts, botanist, the ugly side of humanity, redemption.
4 stars
December 29, 2021
The superhero genre is a favourite of mine, so I was super excited to read this! A black lesbian superhero? Yes please!
What I liked:
Lena's growth. I won't spoil anything, but she goes through a good character arc where she realises her original world view doesn't hold up.
The writing is excellent as always from Lee Winter.
This isn't a HEA, but that fit the characters, so no complaints there.
Nyah was a great character.
What I didn't like:
It could have been longer. The whole book takes place over about a week, and as such things felt limited.
While Nyah was a great character, I wish we'd spent more time with her. I think this links in with the books length in general.
The ending felt rushed, which again I think links with my length complaint.
So yeah. A good book, but something was missing for me that I can't quite put my finger on. Despite not watching Supergirl, I really love Kara/Lena, and I think I may have unconsciously compared the two, with Shattered coming in second.
What I liked:
Lena's growth. I won't spoil anything, but she goes through a good character arc where she realises her original world view doesn't hold up.
The writing is excellent as always from Lee Winter.
This isn't a HEA, but that fit the characters, so no complaints there.
Nyah was a great character.
What I didn't like:
It could have been longer. The whole book takes place over about a week, and as such things felt limited.
While Nyah was a great character, I wish we'd spent more time with her. I think this links in with the books length in general.
The ending felt rushed, which again I think links with my length complaint.
So yeah. A good book, but something was missing for me that I can't quite put my finger on. Despite not watching Supergirl, I really love Kara/Lena, and I think I may have unconsciously compared the two, with Shattered coming in second.
Read
December 16, 2020Shattered - Lee Winter
To say that you’re absolutely shattered in some countries means that you’re utterly exhausted. It certainly means that in Australia. It certainly means that for Shattergirl. She’s done being Earth’s first black lesbian guardian who can hurl and destroy large objects with a flick of her wrist. She exists as simply a name now, and has taken herself off the grid so she can truly be alone with all her pieces.
When Shattergirl is required back at the Facility—guardian headquarters—she can’t be found, so Lena Martin, the street-smart tracker with a silver tongue and a disdain for the rogue guardians she chases, is sent to find her. When she does, they discover how much needs to be shattered and rebuilt to find out who they really are.
The distrust they have for each other, and of themselves, is a major aspect of the novel. It is born of years of promotion of the guardians� gifts, to the point that Lena believes that the alien superheroes are spoilt brats, and Shattergirl believes that humans—commons—are xenophobic, homophobic, racist, fearful and dangerous knuckle-draggers.
The guardians are refugees from another planet who arrived on Earth a hundred years ago. They are not immortal and therefore had to plead for their existence, eventually signing an agreement that ensured the continued use of their gifts to protect, rescue, save, and generally be available to sort out human beings� shit every day of the year for eternity in exchange for their lives. The problem is that after a hundred years, some of the guardians are shattered beyond simple exhaustion.
The premise of the story is that we all hide behind glass pretending it to be transparent but in reality it is no such thing. Shattered is not a romance. It is more than a superhero saga. Shattered is a commentary on the fear of others. It is a commentary on the fear of ourselves. And when the glass shatters, and our true selves are revealed, it is an exquisite commentary on how well each of us can mend ourselves with the shards.
Another aspect is the rolling critique of how appalling humans can be to each other, and how we explain it away, justify it, dismiss it as “that’s how it was back then� despite the awfulness occurring right now. Winter develops the story to the point where Lena, as herself and as a symbolic representative of all humans, is forced to look in a mirror, while she discovers that the guardians have adopted the very behaviour of those who enslaved them to the spectacle of their powers in the first place.
The book is Lee Winter’s shortest (I think) at only 70,000 words. But it’s dense with amazing plot twists and fabulous character development and everything else you expect from an author like Winter. Shattered doesn’t solve the social dilemmas and trauma that she highlights in the story. It’s not a statement of belief on how humanity should be restructured. It is, however, a wonderful novel with complexity, where Lena and Shattergirl collect the slivers of their shattered worlds and create one that isn’t perfect but works for now.
To say that you’re absolutely shattered in some countries means that you’re utterly exhausted. It certainly means that in Australia. It certainly means that for Shattergirl. She’s done being Earth’s first black lesbian guardian who can hurl and destroy large objects with a flick of her wrist. She exists as simply a name now, and has taken herself off the grid so she can truly be alone with all her pieces.
When Shattergirl is required back at the Facility—guardian headquarters—she can’t be found, so Lena Martin, the street-smart tracker with a silver tongue and a disdain for the rogue guardians she chases, is sent to find her. When she does, they discover how much needs to be shattered and rebuilt to find out who they really are.
The distrust they have for each other, and of themselves, is a major aspect of the novel. It is born of years of promotion of the guardians� gifts, to the point that Lena believes that the alien superheroes are spoilt brats, and Shattergirl believes that humans—commons—are xenophobic, homophobic, racist, fearful and dangerous knuckle-draggers.
The guardians are refugees from another planet who arrived on Earth a hundred years ago. They are not immortal and therefore had to plead for their existence, eventually signing an agreement that ensured the continued use of their gifts to protect, rescue, save, and generally be available to sort out human beings� shit every day of the year for eternity in exchange for their lives. The problem is that after a hundred years, some of the guardians are shattered beyond simple exhaustion.
The premise of the story is that we all hide behind glass pretending it to be transparent but in reality it is no such thing. Shattered is not a romance. It is more than a superhero saga. Shattered is a commentary on the fear of others. It is a commentary on the fear of ourselves. And when the glass shatters, and our true selves are revealed, it is an exquisite commentary on how well each of us can mend ourselves with the shards.
Another aspect is the rolling critique of how appalling humans can be to each other, and how we explain it away, justify it, dismiss it as “that’s how it was back then� despite the awfulness occurring right now. Winter develops the story to the point where Lena, as herself and as a symbolic representative of all humans, is forced to look in a mirror, while she discovers that the guardians have adopted the very behaviour of those who enslaved them to the spectacle of their powers in the first place.
The book is Lee Winter’s shortest (I think) at only 70,000 words. But it’s dense with amazing plot twists and fabulous character development and everything else you expect from an author like Winter. Shattered doesn’t solve the social dilemmas and trauma that she highlights in the story. It’s not a statement of belief on how humanity should be restructured. It is, however, a wonderful novel with complexity, where Lena and Shattergirl collect the slivers of their shattered worlds and create one that isn’t perfect but works for now.
July 1, 2017
Shattered is a much more thoughtful book than you might expect from a story about a superhero gone off the grid clashing with the tracker who’s been sent to retrieve her. At its center are two badass women, each who have lost faith: Lena in the guardians she once admired and Shattergirl in the humans she’s been saving ad nauseum. They’re the ultimate strong, guarded women, and as each shares their perspectives and experiences, it’s impossible not to understand exactly how they became the way they are. They are not easy to identify with, and occasionally say and do things that mean they’re not even necessarily easy to like, but they are so clearly and cleverly drawn that it’s impossible not to admire the author’s skill in bringing them through their individual journeys to who they are by the end of the book.
Full review:
Full review:
May 4, 2023
JADED, BLACK, LESBIAN SUPERHERO x JADED HUNTER OF WAYWARD SUPERHEROES...sadly, does not a romance make. 💔
I find myself somewhere in the middle here. On the one hand, I appreciate this take on superheroes, the social commentary about our treatment of people who are "different", and (as always) Lee Winter's solid writing with deep characters. On the other hand, going into a book about superheroes - and a lesbian superhero, at that - I expected a bit more; of course, that's on me, but I am nevertheless left wanting.
The good and the bad (as I see it):
Pros
* As mentioned, black, lesbian superhero? F*ck yes!
* Two androg MCs (and some semblance of a romance - or, more accurately, a physical relationship - between them).
* A darker look at superheroes.
* A deep lesson on perspective and how important it is that we consider more than just our own.
* Deep and interesting characters.
* Great writing!
* Beautifully narrated
Cons
* I felt the resolve was lacklustre (the ending felt quietly hopeful, but I wanted something more)
* Lena was kind of unlikeable - very much a personal preference, but she was too abrasive for me.
* When I see superheroes, I obviously expect some excitement, but there was virtually no action to be had.
* A solid, character-driven story is great, but this one felt too focused on character growth which, ultimately, felt to me like the entirety of the story. A tagline that encompasses this story as I experienced it: "Watch these two ladies learn to get on with other people again and have hot sex one time."
Overall, it was good but didn't blow me away. There were things I loved about it and things that let me down. I know I'm in the minority here for having anything negative to say about it, so definitely read other reviews.
I find myself somewhere in the middle here. On the one hand, I appreciate this take on superheroes, the social commentary about our treatment of people who are "different", and (as always) Lee Winter's solid writing with deep characters. On the other hand, going into a book about superheroes - and a lesbian superhero, at that - I expected a bit more; of course, that's on me, but I am nevertheless left wanting.
The good and the bad (as I see it):
Pros
* As mentioned, black, lesbian superhero? F*ck yes!
* Two androg MCs (and some semblance of a romance - or, more accurately, a physical relationship - between them).
* A darker look at superheroes.
* A deep lesson on perspective and how important it is that we consider more than just our own.
* Deep and interesting characters.
* Great writing!
* Beautifully narrated
Cons
* I felt the resolve was lacklustre (the ending felt quietly hopeful, but I wanted something more)
* Lena was kind of unlikeable - very much a personal preference, but she was too abrasive for me.
* When I see superheroes, I obviously expect some excitement, but there was virtually no action to be had.
* A solid, character-driven story is great, but this one felt too focused on character growth which, ultimately, felt to me like the entirety of the story. A tagline that encompasses this story as I experienced it: "Watch these two ladies learn to get on with other people again and have hot sex one time."
Overall, it was good but didn't blow me away. There were things I loved about it and things that let me down. I know I'm in the minority here for having anything negative to say about it, so definitely read other reviews.
November 27, 2024
Imagine looking at the stars and daring to dream for a better world, be the hero of your own life
I didn’t want to start this book, because I knew that after I was done with it, I would say goodbye for quite a long time to Lee Winter’s words. They accompanied me throughout all 2021 and they were the last I read during New Year’s Eve. I love this author so much, because I know that every time I read her prose, I will learn something, I will question myself, I will look at things, at the world in a different way. It’s like each and every single of Lee Winter’s novels is a journey I willingly take to acquire tips, advises and stories that can help you navigate through this life.
Shattergirl brings you to another dimension in which aliens which special powers seek refuge on Earth after their planet died. These aliens seem to have special powers and the humans see an opportunity of profiting that at their own advantage. A pact is signed, and the aliens become guardians whose only scope is to serve and protect humanity. On the other hand, the humans or “commons�, as defined by the guardians, create facilities in which trained special ops, “the trackers�, are assigned the task of making sure all guardians follow the rules and do their job. On top of the trackers élite of soldiers, Lena Martin has received a special mission: find out where Shattergirl, one of the 50 guardians founders, is hiding. She’s been overdue back to work for a long time and no one seems to be able to spot her. A new tip suggests the island of Socotra, in Yemen. Will Lena find what she’s looking for? Will the journey satisfy her need of winning, of being always the best? Will she live up to the standards of the cold-hearted and infamous “Silver� tracker?
There’s a lot of action-packed scenes in this novel, but also a lot of philosophy and take on life under it. You get to question what does the word “Human� means, what is humanity, what have we become, what is our future.
It brings you back to very actual themes: war, immigration, women’s condition, homosexuality, politics, physical and mental abuse, manipulation of the masses, control, fake news, dictatorship, exploitation of people, degradation of the planet and on the other hand the right to remain unknown to society, to live freely, to be happy, to do your own little part to save the world, to make a difference, to dream of a better future.
The intense dialogues between Lena and Nyah are skillfully plotted to guide both characters to a journey of awareness. Human and non-human discovering they are not so different as they had thought. Only when they decide to let all their defenses down, they allow the other to see the world through each other’s eyes. And that realization is heartbreaking. Only when you see the world through the eyes of someone’s, putting yourself in their shoes, you can understand them. You understand all their pain, regret, fights, hopes, dreams. You acquire in turn compassion and a higher level of empathy. But this is a choice you need to make. You need to want to “see� what’s in front of you. It’s only after seeing with your eyes that you’ll understand.
Nowadays, we decide to close our eyes too many times, not to see, not to know, not to be bothered, not to be concerned by what’s happening around us.
Lee Winter’s message is to dare to do your own part in this world. Your existence is enough. Your little everyday fights to be your better self are enough. You are worthy. You don’t need to be perfect. Nobody needs to be perfect. Accept your limits and help the others accept theirs.
The only way to save humanity and our planet is talking about it, learning about what is happening in the world, sharing yourself with the others. Some people might disappoint you, betray you, exploit you, hate you, but others will understand you and will lend you a helping hand, they will support you no matter what, they will be your friends and lovers, they will share your loneliness and sense of not belonging.
Once you realize this, you won’t need a hero at your side, you’ll be the hero of your own life.
What a beautiful message and a wonderful setting, Socotra, out of this world. I loved every moment of this book and now I can’t wait for my next Lee Winter’s journey. I can’t wait to read about her intelligent, compassionate, witty, sensitive, at first sight icy-burning women. They set me alive with their plotting minds. It’s a pleasure to read their adventures. As broken as they are, they are perfect in my eyes. They are human and beyond human at the same time. Fighting to lose their acquired emotions controlling coping mechanism. They are shadows that burn so bright. They are history in the making. They are shattered by life and brought back together, stronger than ever.
Stargazing and hoping for better times.
I didn’t want to start this book, because I knew that after I was done with it, I would say goodbye for quite a long time to Lee Winter’s words. They accompanied me throughout all 2021 and they were the last I read during New Year’s Eve. I love this author so much, because I know that every time I read her prose, I will learn something, I will question myself, I will look at things, at the world in a different way. It’s like each and every single of Lee Winter’s novels is a journey I willingly take to acquire tips, advises and stories that can help you navigate through this life.
Shattergirl brings you to another dimension in which aliens which special powers seek refuge on Earth after their planet died. These aliens seem to have special powers and the humans see an opportunity of profiting that at their own advantage. A pact is signed, and the aliens become guardians whose only scope is to serve and protect humanity. On the other hand, the humans or “commons�, as defined by the guardians, create facilities in which trained special ops, “the trackers�, are assigned the task of making sure all guardians follow the rules and do their job. On top of the trackers élite of soldiers, Lena Martin has received a special mission: find out where Shattergirl, one of the 50 guardians founders, is hiding. She’s been overdue back to work for a long time and no one seems to be able to spot her. A new tip suggests the island of Socotra, in Yemen. Will Lena find what she’s looking for? Will the journey satisfy her need of winning, of being always the best? Will she live up to the standards of the cold-hearted and infamous “Silver� tracker?
There’s a lot of action-packed scenes in this novel, but also a lot of philosophy and take on life under it. You get to question what does the word “Human� means, what is humanity, what have we become, what is our future.
It brings you back to very actual themes: war, immigration, women’s condition, homosexuality, politics, physical and mental abuse, manipulation of the masses, control, fake news, dictatorship, exploitation of people, degradation of the planet and on the other hand the right to remain unknown to society, to live freely, to be happy, to do your own little part to save the world, to make a difference, to dream of a better future.
The intense dialogues between Lena and Nyah are skillfully plotted to guide both characters to a journey of awareness. Human and non-human discovering they are not so different as they had thought. Only when they decide to let all their defenses down, they allow the other to see the world through each other’s eyes. And that realization is heartbreaking. Only when you see the world through the eyes of someone’s, putting yourself in their shoes, you can understand them. You understand all their pain, regret, fights, hopes, dreams. You acquire in turn compassion and a higher level of empathy. But this is a choice you need to make. You need to want to “see� what’s in front of you. It’s only after seeing with your eyes that you’ll understand.
Nowadays, we decide to close our eyes too many times, not to see, not to know, not to be bothered, not to be concerned by what’s happening around us.
Lee Winter’s message is to dare to do your own part in this world. Your existence is enough. Your little everyday fights to be your better self are enough. You are worthy. You don’t need to be perfect. Nobody needs to be perfect. Accept your limits and help the others accept theirs.
The only way to save humanity and our planet is talking about it, learning about what is happening in the world, sharing yourself with the others. Some people might disappoint you, betray you, exploit you, hate you, but others will understand you and will lend you a helping hand, they will support you no matter what, they will be your friends and lovers, they will share your loneliness and sense of not belonging.
Once you realize this, you won’t need a hero at your side, you’ll be the hero of your own life.
What a beautiful message and a wonderful setting, Socotra, out of this world. I loved every moment of this book and now I can’t wait for my next Lee Winter’s journey. I can’t wait to read about her intelligent, compassionate, witty, sensitive, at first sight icy-burning women. They set me alive with their plotting minds. It’s a pleasure to read their adventures. As broken as they are, they are perfect in my eyes. They are human and beyond human at the same time. Fighting to lose their acquired emotions controlling coping mechanism. They are shadows that burn so bright. They are history in the making. They are shattered by life and brought back together, stronger than ever.
Stargazing and hoping for better times.
May 8, 2023
Audiobook review:
3,5 - 4 ⭐️ Story
5 ⭐️ Abby Craden narration
Not so much a romance than a character study or story of personal development in my opinion.
3,5 - 4 ⭐️ Story
5 ⭐️ Abby Craden narration
Not so much a romance than a character study or story of personal development in my opinion.
September 26, 2018
This book is in my recommended books of the month
Have you ever read a book of a genre you don't like because its author is one of your favourites? Well, that's what happened to me with Shattered. Lee Winter is in my top ten lesfic authors
() so, even though I don't normally read sci-fi, I had to give this one a try. I'm glad I did because it is another great book.
Ms. Winter is an author who departs from the conventional lesfic stories. She did it in her second book, Requiem for immortals, and she does it in Shattered again. The book blurb doesn't do real justice to the story which is understandable as being more specific would give away too much information. Without providing many details, what really surprised me about this book is the intensity of the dialogues between Shattergirl and Lena, the build up of their relationship, the depth of their emotions. I think this is where the strength of the book rests. On the other hand, I was expecting more action from this genre. Additionally, some parts of the plot, specially at the end, seemed a bit rushed or forced. But maybe the author is planning on writing a sequel and decided to leave some loose ends. Anyway, it is a great read even if you, like me, aren't a science fiction fan.
Highly recommended if you don't mind a book without the typical lesfic ending. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever read a book of a genre you don't like because its author is one of your favourites? Well, that's what happened to me with Shattered. Lee Winter is in my top ten lesfic authors
() so, even though I don't normally read sci-fi, I had to give this one a try. I'm glad I did because it is another great book.
Ms. Winter is an author who departs from the conventional lesfic stories. She did it in her second book, Requiem for immortals, and she does it in Shattered again. The book blurb doesn't do real justice to the story which is understandable as being more specific would give away too much information. Without providing many details, what really surprised me about this book is the intensity of the dialogues between Shattergirl and Lena, the build up of their relationship, the depth of their emotions. I think this is where the strength of the book rests. On the other hand, I was expecting more action from this genre. Additionally, some parts of the plot, specially at the end, seemed a bit rushed or forced. But maybe the author is planning on writing a sequel and decided to leave some loose ends. Anyway, it is a great read even if you, like me, aren't a science fiction fan.
Highly recommended if you don't mind a book without the typical lesfic ending. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2017
Very entertaining. Nice to see WoC rep as well. Not gonna sugar coat it, it didn't end the way I wanted it to. Takes serious ovaries to write it the way she did. But maybe there's a second book in this Verse, dunno. The world building was extremely well done, so the ground work is there. All in all, I liked it.
February 9, 2021
Short Review
Content warnings: suicide, blood, mention of incestuous rape, pedophilia, car accident, manipulation, homophobia/homomisia, racism, graphic sex
Enjoyable writing, great story that definitely serves as a social commentary, too. I did have trouble connecting with both main characters Lena Martin (26) and Nyah (141, Black lesbian) (this is not a romance novel), but their interactions are mostly cute and fun, sometimes heartbreaking, and I am really glad I read this book.
But I do wish to learn more about Dr. Anna Larsen, the botanist who is extremely passionate about her research.
Buddy read with Gabriella!
Content warnings: suicide, blood, mention of incestuous rape, pedophilia, car accident, manipulation, homophobia/homomisia, racism, graphic sex
Enjoyable writing, great story that definitely serves as a social commentary, too. I did have trouble connecting with both main characters Lena Martin (26) and Nyah (141, Black lesbian) (this is not a romance novel), but their interactions are mostly cute and fun, sometimes heartbreaking, and I am really glad I read this book.
But I do wish to learn more about Dr. Anna Larsen, the botanist who is extremely passionate about her research.
Buddy read with Gabriella!
March 13, 2023
The unexpected superhero book, let’s just say I wasn't expecting this book to be what it was.
It was originally released a couple of years ago with a different cover. I must admit I judged that one by the cover and decided it would probably be a YA/NA superhero story even though it is written by , that just isn't for me. When the reviews came in the first time I knew I was wrong but I just couldn't get myself to read the book.
This new cover prompted me to give it a go though.
I'm glad I did. It's nothing like I expected it to be, in a good way.
I can't divulge much about the story without spoiling so I'll just mention a couple of things. This superhero, Shattergirl, is very much a woman. She's of a humanoid alien race that came to earth a century ago, at which time they were made into guardians. Silver is an elite tracker of wayward guardians. She's tasked to get the elusive Shattergirl to come to the centurion celebration. instead of some cut-and-dry superhero story, we get the story filled with social commentary and just two women, Nyah and Lena, crossing paths with each other when they must needed it. The adversaries strike up a very believable friendship. The character growth is very nicely done by Winter.
The social commentary, the bleak outlook on how we treat our planet and the people rings a bit too true. This superhero book isn't one suited for escapism to some faraway place with great sci-fi world-building. It's very much about the current state of our planet and its people. I thought this was interesting, and depressing, sure. That's just the way the world is, isn't it?
Ylva (the publisher) has some other books set in this world that are written by different writers. I'd very much like it if Winter would write a Shattered part 2 of sorts. However much I liked the way this story turned out, I feel like there is another good book in there.
ARC received from the publisher (Ylva Publishing) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
It was originally released a couple of years ago with a different cover. I must admit I judged that one by the cover and decided it would probably be a YA/NA superhero story even though it is written by , that just isn't for me. When the reviews came in the first time I knew I was wrong but I just couldn't get myself to read the book.
This new cover prompted me to give it a go though.
I'm glad I did. It's nothing like I expected it to be, in a good way.
I can't divulge much about the story without spoiling so I'll just mention a couple of things. This superhero, Shattergirl, is very much a woman. She's of a humanoid alien race that came to earth a century ago, at which time they were made into guardians. Silver is an elite tracker of wayward guardians. She's tasked to get the elusive Shattergirl to come to the centurion celebration. instead of some cut-and-dry superhero story, we get the story filled with social commentary and just two women, Nyah and Lena, crossing paths with each other when they must needed it. The adversaries strike up a very believable friendship. The character growth is very nicely done by Winter.
The social commentary, the bleak outlook on how we treat our planet and the people rings a bit too true. This superhero book isn't one suited for escapism to some faraway place with great sci-fi world-building. It's very much about the current state of our planet and its people. I thought this was interesting, and depressing, sure. That's just the way the world is, isn't it?
Ylva (the publisher) has some other books set in this world that are written by different writers. I'd very much like it if Winter would write a Shattered part 2 of sorts. However much I liked the way this story turned out, I feel like there is another good book in there.
ARC received from the publisher (Ylva Publishing) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 18, 2018
Even superheroes are ###### up underneath
Whenever I have Ms.Winter's in between my hands, I know that the next few hours and the days after will be filled with happiness and great admiration to her extraordinary writing.
Lena Martin, first class tracker was sent to retrieve a top Guardian - Shattergirl back to civilization and work. Shattergirl had enough, the things that she had seen / heard / done / unwillingly failed was driving her insane and she was done with the superhero business.
Shattergirl's angst was expected yet still gut wrenching. Lena's baggage was totally unexpected. Ms.Winter cleverly wrote a sad, heart-rending background to the kickass androgynous h. The hs' hardships were not easy to digest, they were quite horrific so get some chocolates ready to help ease the pain.
The only instant element was the instant disliked towards each other from their first meeting but after several sessions of revealing their deep darkest secrets and baring their souls, they came to an understanding.
All sorts of delicious feelings appeared and danced around my heart then.
If you're really curious and loosing sleep over it then go ahead and click on the spoiler tag otherwise, go in blind.
Whenever I have Ms.Winter's in between my hands, I know that the next few hours and the days after will be filled with happiness and great admiration to her extraordinary writing.
Lena Martin, first class tracker was sent to retrieve a top Guardian - Shattergirl back to civilization and work. Shattergirl had enough, the things that she had seen / heard / done / unwillingly failed was driving her insane and she was done with the superhero business.
Shattergirl's angst was expected yet still gut wrenching. Lena's baggage was totally unexpected. Ms.Winter cleverly wrote a sad, heart-rending background to the kickass androgynous h. The hs' hardships were not easy to digest, they were quite horrific so get some chocolates ready to help ease the pain.
The only instant element was the instant disliked towards each other from their first meeting but after several sessions of revealing their deep darkest secrets and baring their souls, they came to an understanding.
All sorts of delicious feelings appeared and danced around my heart then.
If you're really curious and loosing sleep over it then go ahead and click on the spoiler tag otherwise, go in blind.
June 14, 2017
This was a really interesting read. My first book by Winter. It is a fast paced action packed read that literally left me feeling mentally shattered. I loved it. It had a bit of everything. Sometimes I really wish these books were true. No I haven't lost my mind I just guess I wish there was more than what we have.
Anyway back to the book :). It has two main characters with several characters making the story more believable. You have Lena aka Silver a serious competent tracker and Nyah a superhero who just happens to be a black lesbian who loves science. Who has the superhero name of Shattergirl. My childhood dreams all rolled in to one. What's not to love.
The cover of the book gives it a comic book feel but I didn't buy into that. It is a story of life, a story of losses and a story of discrimination. It also talks of equality, friendship and shared experiences. It also talks of being over looked, ignored and wrongful perceptions. Now you know why I felt shattered when I finished the book. It covers a lot and in some detail I might add.
I've read a few other reviews and I'll admit I agree that the ending isn't exactly what you expect. But I'll also admit I liked the end. The two leads will make better friends and companions than lovers.
The story is mainly about breaking down walls and rebuilding trust amongst different people. Or in the case of this book building a new trust between different worlds. I think the author has done an excellent job combining two very different worlds into a world of trust with a positive future for all. It is well worth your time reading this book. Just be aware you may feel shattered at the end. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via Ylva Publishing*
Anyway back to the book :). It has two main characters with several characters making the story more believable. You have Lena aka Silver a serious competent tracker and Nyah a superhero who just happens to be a black lesbian who loves science. Who has the superhero name of Shattergirl. My childhood dreams all rolled in to one. What's not to love.
The cover of the book gives it a comic book feel but I didn't buy into that. It is a story of life, a story of losses and a story of discrimination. It also talks of equality, friendship and shared experiences. It also talks of being over looked, ignored and wrongful perceptions. Now you know why I felt shattered when I finished the book. It covers a lot and in some detail I might add.
I've read a few other reviews and I'll admit I agree that the ending isn't exactly what you expect. But I'll also admit I liked the end. The two leads will make better friends and companions than lovers.
The story is mainly about breaking down walls and rebuilding trust amongst different people. Or in the case of this book building a new trust between different worlds. I think the author has done an excellent job combining two very different worlds into a world of trust with a positive future for all. It is well worth your time reading this book. Just be aware you may feel shattered at the end. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via Ylva Publishing*
July 5, 2024
This book is so aptly named. It broke me. In mostly all the right ways, even the sad stuff was so brilliantly written and amazing.
I love Winter’s way of creating such wonderfully flaw and yet cocky characters. Her use of language is evocative and immersive. The world building is delicious and the emotional and ethical quandaries and balanced beautifully with the action and story.
I both loved and hated the ending, mostly because damn it I did not see it coming and it was a brilliant surprise.
One of my favourite things about this book (and the other off Lee Winter’s that I’ve read so far) is the emotional and ‘romantic� elements are fundamental to the stories progress but there is so much more going on.
In a world of superheros, I felt like I found the most realistic and well developed characters.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Especially if you love being broken, put back together, shattered, and then made while in a completely better way for having read it.
I love Winter’s way of creating such wonderfully flaw and yet cocky characters. Her use of language is evocative and immersive. The world building is delicious and the emotional and ethical quandaries and balanced beautifully with the action and story.
I both loved and hated the ending, mostly because damn it I did not see it coming and it was a brilliant surprise.
One of my favourite things about this book (and the other off Lee Winter’s that I’ve read so far) is the emotional and ‘romantic� elements are fundamental to the stories progress but there is so much more going on.
In a world of superheros, I felt like I found the most realistic and well developed characters.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Especially if you love being broken, put back together, shattered, and then made while in a completely better way for having read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2017
I liked the ending and felt it was appropriate for the story. I'm so glad this was not a romance story, although there was a romantic element. But that felt more like an opportune moment and not the start of something serious. For me there lacked chemistry between the two mcs but the main focus was their individual backstory. Although I did feel that lena's could have done with more detail.
Overall I enjoyed this thought provoking story, its well written and has a strong plot/storyline.
Arc provided by ylva for an honest review.
Overall I enjoyed this thought provoking story, its well written and has a strong plot/storyline.
Arc provided by ylva for an honest review.
September 16, 2020
4/5 stars
This book was not at all what I was expecting. I knew that the writing was going to be good, because Lee Winter is a fantastic storyteller, but the direction that she took this story was still unexpected. She really took the superhero genre and turned it on its head. I haven't read many superhero books, but I've watched enough movies to know how they tend to go. Lee Winter really took us deeper into the minds of these superheroes (or Guardians in our case). This was definitely the most interesting part of this book. I was so interested in the story of the Guardians and their life on earth, I just found it so intriguing. I'm reluctant to call this book dark (because it wasn't exactly so), but this definitely felt reflective and deeper than I expected. It also felt like a very fresh and unique take which I really enjoyed.
I definitely was expecting this to be a romance. I didn't read any reviews before reading this, and maybe if I had I would have checked this expectation. While the story is still good and the characters were great, I was really looking for a romance where there wasn't really one. I mean, there was a relationship of sorts that was emotional, touching and erotic at points, it didn't feel like the focus of the story. Shattergirl and Lena became much better people and learnt more about themselves with each other, and I think that was much more the focus than the romance. This was still very captivating to read. This book was very dialogue heavy, but I loved it. I really fell into the scenes between Shattergirl and Lena, they were just so expertly crafted. In this way, I guess I wasn't too disappointed by the lack of romance because their relationship was still super engaging and really perfect for these characters.
This book was not at all what I was expecting. I knew that the writing was going to be good, because Lee Winter is a fantastic storyteller, but the direction that she took this story was still unexpected. She really took the superhero genre and turned it on its head. I haven't read many superhero books, but I've watched enough movies to know how they tend to go. Lee Winter really took us deeper into the minds of these superheroes (or Guardians in our case). This was definitely the most interesting part of this book. I was so interested in the story of the Guardians and their life on earth, I just found it so intriguing. I'm reluctant to call this book dark (because it wasn't exactly so), but this definitely felt reflective and deeper than I expected. It also felt like a very fresh and unique take which I really enjoyed.
I definitely was expecting this to be a romance. I didn't read any reviews before reading this, and maybe if I had I would have checked this expectation. While the story is still good and the characters were great, I was really looking for a romance where there wasn't really one. I mean, there was a relationship of sorts that was emotional, touching and erotic at points, it didn't feel like the focus of the story. Shattergirl and Lena became much better people and learnt more about themselves with each other, and I think that was much more the focus than the romance. This was still very captivating to read. This book was very dialogue heavy, but I loved it. I really fell into the scenes between Shattergirl and Lena, they were just so expertly crafted. In this way, I guess I wasn't too disappointed by the lack of romance because their relationship was still super engaging and really perfect for these characters.
January 25, 2020
I shouldn't be surprised to find that Lee Winter would do something completely unique with a superhero story. It's deeper, more meaningful, a bigger story than your usual razzle dazzle of a work in this genre. Really - the superhero angle is only a portion of what this book is actually about. Though I am reluctant to say much because to do so would give something away, I found book unexpectedly profound and meaningful. Even if you believe stories in this genre might not appeal to you, give this one a go. It's exciting knowing that later this year, Winter will be releasing the audiobook version narrated by the incredible Abby Craden. I can't wait to experience THAT combination! Rating: 4.5 stars.
December 26, 2021
The superhero genre anything isn't quite something I love reading nor watching. Enjoyed them as kids but along the way lost the spark for superheros even though some of them will always have spot in my heart. This one sounded very interesting and I decided to give it ago and I was so surprised in how much I actually enjoyed this one. The lesbian romance in this just made it excellent and the storyline was equally as good
March 23, 2024
4 Stars
I know I know it’s not supposed to be a “romance book� but I can’t help feeling conflicted with the ending. I wanted it to end differently but the author’s ending also makes sense? Despite my ambivalence, the story itself was superb. The very idea of hero life and their reality of needing to save people all the time. It’s genius, clever and really makes me feel helpless for humanity.
I know I know it’s not supposed to be a “romance book� but I can’t help feeling conflicted with the ending. I wanted it to end differently but the author’s ending also makes sense? Despite my ambivalence, the story itself was superb. The very idea of hero life and their reality of needing to save people all the time. It’s genius, clever and really makes me feel helpless for humanity.
April 4, 2018
Winter’s prose is excellent. Beyond character development, beyond plot, I also really enjoy books that have well crafted sentences and inspired word choice. Winter has that. She also has great characters and interesting plots, so I find her work all around pretty awesome. Like many of the other reviews, I was surprised by the ending, and am still trying to make my peace with it.
March 7, 2021
This is not a comic book/graphic novel. I don't know why I thought it was but that is what kept me from reading it sooner. It is also a heavier read than I expected but it was all the better for that.
I like that the main characters were unlikable to me at first and that Lee Winter slowly peeled back the layers on them until she exposed the likeable bits underneath.
I like that the main characters were unlikable to me at first and that Lee Winter slowly peeled back the layers on them until she exposed the likeable bits underneath.
April 13, 2019
Hmmmm.... I love Lee Winter’s books. But this one left me a bit... feeling like I’ve been stood up on date night.
A slow start - there’s action but no connection - into the story. And I had real trouble working out where we were going. Then things got dark and upsetting, with a moment of reprieve and light at the end of the tunnel. But then it turned out that the train wasn’t going where I hoped it would. And by the end I was feeling disappointed.
There’s was a stretch in the book that I really enjoyed. The rest not so much. The most exciting part -unusually for a superhero story - was some intense dialogue in the middle of the book. The rest of the story was interesting but felt underdeveloped. For all its heart wrenching, I just couldn’t connect to the characters. And that is the thing I love most about stories.
It’s probably around 3.5 stars, rounded up because...
I expected this book to be fluffy but found it strangely the darkest by this author.
A slow start - there’s action but no connection - into the story. And I had real trouble working out where we were going. Then things got dark and upsetting, with a moment of reprieve and light at the end of the tunnel. But then it turned out that the train wasn’t going where I hoped it would. And by the end I was feeling disappointed.
There’s was a stretch in the book that I really enjoyed. The rest not so much. The most exciting part -unusually for a superhero story - was some intense dialogue in the middle of the book. The rest of the story was interesting but felt underdeveloped. For all its heart wrenching, I just couldn’t connect to the characters. And that is the thing I love most about stories.
It’s probably around 3.5 stars, rounded up because...
I expected this book to be fluffy but found it strangely the darkest by this author.
January 14, 2019
Ratings: 3.75 ⭐️
Loved all of Winter’s book that I’ve read. Liked the story but didn’t love it as much as those that I’ve read so far. Maybe it’s cos I didn’t fancy the ending and was expecting more but story was good nonetheless.
Loved all of Winter’s book that I’ve read. Liked the story but didn’t love it as much as those that I’ve read so far. Maybe it’s cos I didn’t fancy the ending and was expecting more but story was good nonetheless.
May 16, 2020
I listened to this book 3 times, it’s so much more then a superhero story.
July 1, 2017
Before writing this review is read others review of the book and I just have to say - I LIKED THE ENDING. No it wasn't what I had initially expected but I think it was better.
Okay about the story, I won't reiterate the summary (lots of other reviews for that). Not your typical superhero story but rather a look at what it would really be like to live as a superhero. I really enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone else who likes this type of tale and also to anyone who just likes a different story once in awhile.
Okay about the story, I won't reiterate the summary (lots of other reviews for that). Not your typical superhero story but rather a look at what it would really be like to live as a superhero. I really enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone else who likes this type of tale and also to anyone who just likes a different story once in awhile.
June 11, 2017
The superhero genre is generally a reflection of our fantasy-fuelled desire for a strong, wise and caring leader who will zoom in during our times of need and save us from the latest doom that threatens us. Superheroes are basically Earth-bound gods who can defy the laws of physics with their magic, but in spite of their might they live just to serve us mere mortals. It’s no coincidence that some of the superheroes are even based on ancient gods (Thor and Wonder Woman spring to mind).
So the superhero genre is generally a wish-fulfilment fantasy. We know it would make us feel safe and protected to have superheroes who spend their time looking after us 24/7, but what would that be like for the superhero?
In this version of our world created by Lee Winter, humans (commons) are served by a race of aliens (guardians) who crashed on Earth when their spaceship malfunctioned at the turn of the 20th century. Each alien has a unique superpower. A carefully cultivated mythology of nobility and invincibility is built up around the guardians, supported by the commons who work at the Facility.
Shattergirl is one of the guardians, but she has disappeared. Lena Martin is a common tracker employed at the Facility, she is assigned to find Shattergirl and persuade her to return.
I found Shattered interesting because it doesn’t follow the conventions of either the superhero genre or the romance genre. It’s a good read and strangely satisfying. Recommended.
Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
So the superhero genre is generally a wish-fulfilment fantasy. We know it would make us feel safe and protected to have superheroes who spend their time looking after us 24/7, but what would that be like for the superhero?
In this version of our world created by Lee Winter, humans (commons) are served by a race of aliens (guardians) who crashed on Earth when their spaceship malfunctioned at the turn of the 20th century. Each alien has a unique superpower. A carefully cultivated mythology of nobility and invincibility is built up around the guardians, supported by the commons who work at the Facility.
Shattergirl is one of the guardians, but she has disappeared. Lena Martin is a common tracker employed at the Facility, she is assigned to find Shattergirl and persuade her to return.
I found Shattered interesting because it doesn’t follow the conventions of either the superhero genre or the romance genre. It’s a good read and strangely satisfying. Recommended.
Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
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