Shatter by Aprilynne Pike - NO

Shatter (Glitter, #2) by Aprilynne Pike, 375 pages.  Random House, 2018.  $18.  

Content: Language: PG-13 (51 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13.  

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – NO  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

Dani is now the Queen of Sonoma Versailles, even though she has no love for her husband the ruthless king Justin.  Dani is in love with Saber, who is a slave to the crooked Reginald, and will do anything to preserve his life, including selling drugs to all of the courtiers.  Dani learns of Justin’s dark plans to keep their kingdom financial wealthy and risks everything to try and free herself and Saber from the court. 

I’ll give it to Pike she writes compelling story lines with engaging characters.  I thought the setting of Sonoma Versailles was fascinating and well described and I wanted Dani to find a way out of all of her troubles.  My biggest issue with this book, which is the same issue I had with the first book, is that Dani hooks people on a drug called Glitter without their knowledge. They think they are just wearing make-up, but the drug seeps into their skin and they are quickly addicted and will give anything for it.  I hate that concept.  Other content from the novel includes a suicide, a gory shooting, off page sex, frequent make-out sessions and a shocking murder.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson