Book Review ~ TO SHATTER THE NIGHT by Katherine Quinn

To Shatter the Night (Mistlands, #2)
by: Katherine Quinn
Series: Mistlands
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: December 3, 2024
Publisher: Entangled Publishing ~ Entangled Teen

Welcome back into the Mist…in the astonishing sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller To Kill a Shadow…

Some fear the darkness. It’s the place where horror hides, concealing its rank, sharp teeth and insatiable hunger. But there is no darkness more feared than that of the mist that’s overtaken the kingdom...and its brave—and ultimately doomed— soldiers.

Except for Kiara Frey.

She has nothing to fear from the night. Not anymore.

Driven by the fury of her splintered heart, Kiara knows that the answers—and the only possible way to a future with Jude Maddox—begin with the realm’s most notorious thief, the Fox. Together, they hunt down the path to breaking Asidia’s dark curse, but in the shadows, something more horrifying than the mist lies in wait. Watching. Willing Kiara to find the game pieces set in place long ago.

As Jude and Kiara are lured to a sacred temple—a shrine that is the home to both exquisite dreams and chilling nightmares—Kiara’s newfound powers flourish but her shadows threaten to consume her.

Because here in these cursed lands, it’s not the darkness that destroys the soul...it’s love.

When Katherine Quinn’s To Kill a Shadow came out I was curious. I mean really curious. The book kept whispering to me that I NEEDED to read it. Having the book blurb state that it was a “fantasy horror” gave me a huge pause. I am by no means a horror fan. I get nervous watching a Hallmark cozy mystery. I had no problem reading the book although it depicts nightmares, death, and the unaliving of one’s self. I loved the plot and fell in love with the characters. I even cried at a scene or two. The ending was shocking and I couldn’t wait for the next book.

To Shatter the Night picks up immediately after the events of To Kill a Shadow. I can not stress enough that this is NOT a standalone read. I immediately pre-ordered To Shatter the Night when the release date was announced. I just wasn’t happy to learn that The Mistlands was a duology and not a series. I mean really, so much went on in To Kill a Shadow I didn’t think Katherine could cover everything in just one more book. Again, the revelation at the end of To Kill a Shadow was shocking. But Katherine did and she also managed to add new characters that added to the story.

To Shatter the Night was emotional and shocking, to say the least. There are definitely items/events worthy of trigger warnings, which you can find on the publisher’s website. Looking back, To Kill a Shadow was gruesome and action-packed. To Shatteer the Night was the same, but a little different. The characters already had heart. But their heart, courage, determination, and loyalty are front and center in this story. Katherine definitely brought out multiple emotions in me. Tears, shock, disbelief, anger, frustration. You name it, I more than likely felt it. I truly loved how she ended the story and gave the characters just what they needed. She does however leave the door open for potentially another book or a spin-off. Sorry for that little spoiler. Fingerscrossed this isn’t the last we will hear of Jude Maddox and Kiara Frey.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Katherine has in store for readers next.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“Never stop climbing your way out of the darkness. Dawn is inevitable, and you are stronger than you believe.”

“Simple choices are rarely the right ones.”

“Sometimes a simple offering of kindness was all it took to change a life.”

“Tears were nothing more than pieces of our souls escaping.”

“Why is it that we care so much for those who often care so little about us?”

“We live two lives; one where we are made of flesh and bone, and the other where we are made of memories.”

“The lost will not always be this way just as the broken can mend; But those who have been neither lost nor broken cannot understand what it is to heal.”

“True love was nothing if not sacrifice.”

“You’ve always been enough.”

**Received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a hardcover copy.**

Rating: 5

Purchase To Shatter the Night from:

Amazon | Hardcover | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Goodreads

(Affiliate Links Used)

The Mistlands Duology:

To Kill a Shadow (Book 1) ~ Review

To Shatter the Night (Book 2)

Katherine Quinn is a fantasy romance author and poet. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in psychology. She resides in Houston, Texas with her husband and three children.

Her love for writing began after she read her first fantasy series, Song of the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce. After that, she wanted nothing more than to be a dagger-wielding heroine. Unfortunately, it’s frowned upon to give a child a dagger, so she settled on writing about daring adventures instead.

Coffee is her true love, and she believes anything can be fixed with Starbucks and dark humor.

Places to find Katherine Quinn:

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | TikTok | Amazon Author Page

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