Book Review: To Steal from Thieves (Thieves & Kings #1) by M.K. Lobb

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Historical Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Author: M.K. Lobb
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Release Date: March 25th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this high-stakes heist novel, an alchemologist and a con man team up to steal a rare necklace—but complicated feelings of attraction and deception threaten to destroy everything and everyone they love—for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Judy I. Lin.

Within the dazzling halls of London’s Crystal Palace, the event of the season has arrived: The Great Exhibition. An opportunity for the greatest minds of the century to come together under one roof in an unprecedented display of art and invention. And for two unlikely partners in crime, it’s about to become the score of a lifetime.

Charming conman Kane Durante works alone—or on occasion with his best friend, Fletcher. But when his boss, the infamous Kingpin of London’s magical dark market, gives him the impossible task of stealing a priceless artifact from the Great Exhibition, he knows it’s a job he can’t pull off alone. Enter Zaria Mendoza, daughter of one of London’s greatest alchemologists. Ever since her father’s death, Zaria’s been struggling to keep her underground business afloat, and impatient clients are becoming violent. When the infuriatingly handsome Kane offers her the promise of enough money to get out of debt and leave London entirely, she knows she can’t walk away from this dangerous partnership.

But robbing one of the most public, heavily-guarded buildings in London isn’t going to be easy, especially when love and betrayal threaten to ruin everything they’ve worked so hard for.

I LIKED IT.

I would read the next book. Which honestly could be the review in its entirety. Did I think this was anything ground breaking or like I have to shout at every person to go read it? No, but I had a good time and I have been craving all things fantasy and this hit that mark while ALSO having historical elements too! I had no idea (because I don’t often read summaries) that this was historical romance and I loved that world/magic elemental addition.

I enjoyed the characters and the back and forth of not knowing who was going to betray who as the heist loomed closer. I thought the slow burn romance was enjoyable and I hope to see more of that in the sequel too. It’s an easy read with a good premise.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Fantasy
  • Language: mild – moderate
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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ARC Book Review: Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker #1) by Nisha J. Tuli

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: NA Dystopian Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Nisha J. Tuli
Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books
Release Date: May 5th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the publisher who brought you Fourth Wing comes your next romantasy obsession…

For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.

But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.

When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.

A gripping dystopian romance filled with forbidden power, ruthless challenges, and a heroine who refuses to burn quietly―perfect for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted ARC.

IT WAS ALRIGHT.

I wasn’t initially planning to read this but when a book shows up on your doorstep you take a chance! I did like this more than Trial of the Sun Queen. But overall my vibe here was…predictable. From the first few chapters I could map the whole book and I wish it had brought something more to the story to overlook that fact.

I didn’t mind the FMC, Poet. She goes through a coming of age that works for the story. I think her arc had a good start and I that will only grow in the sequel.

The romance was fine. I would have a few more quiet moments. I think some of the pacing or scene line ups didn’t flow well and that’s my hold up. Even though I knew where it was going I still liked the ending because it led to an opening I wanted to see.

This book luckily didn’t become a hate read, it was just missing that element that feels engaging and like I HAVE to keep reading to know what happens next. I’m at least interested to hear about the next book.

Note, I don’t consider this YA, more NA.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Dystopian Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 1-2ish low explicit open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: loss of life, weapons violence, assault, near death experiences

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ARC Book Review: Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: YA Contemporary
Length: 368 pages
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: February 11th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From acclaimed and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen comes a romantic coming-of-age novel about an unassuming girl who learns to stand on her own while falling in love during a life-changing summer.

Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.

Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins, and to meet the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.

Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.

And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.

Thank you Simon Teen for the gifted ARC.

DIFFERENT BUT GOOD.

It was a lot of fun to dive back into a Sarah Dessen book. I’ve read multiple of them and can appreciate what themes this story held. While I know I gave it 3.5 stars I can say that I think it’s a genuine young adult book that I would be comfortable with my [future] teens reading. And that is so hard to find these days so credit is due on that fact alone.

What I struggled with was the ending. I felt like one critical scene was skipped over and would have done wonders in showing how far Finley had come over the summer. And then within the closing pages it was just abrupt. There were multiple other threads that weren’t wrapped up and I wanted more from the closing pages.

I thought this held a lot of good moments around cell phone use and being present. I liked seeing Finley adapt and self reflect over her time out in a small town with family. I adored all of the side characters and how much everyone added to the plot. I loved the progression of Finley’s relationship with her mom. The vibes of this book were genuinely solid. The romance is much more in the background and I think added a soft element that was sweet too.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content warnings: a parent with cancer

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: April 2026

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April showers brings May flowers! And a lot of books. Maybe the most I will get to this year. Have you read any of them?

  • [ARC/ALC] A Deal with a Debutante (London’s Most Eligible #1) by Chelsea Bobulski
  • [ARC/ALC] Start at the End by Emma Grey
  • [Reread] The Assassin’s Blade (Throne of Glass #0.5) by Sarah J. Maas
  • The Speed of Lightning (The Hebridean Shield #3) by Ashley Worrell
  • A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell #10) by Deanna Raybourn
  • [ARC/ALC] I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang
  • Anytime I Want by Meredith Logan
  • Weavingshaw (Weavingshaw #1) by Heba Al-Wasity
  • Rites of the Starling (Shield of Sparrows #2) by Devney Perry
  • [ARC] The Duke’s Bargain by Megan Walker
  • From the Silence of the Shadows (The Veridian Empire #3) by V.B. Lacey
  • [ALC] Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
  • [ALC] Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai
  • [Reread] Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
  • Because the Beasts Came (Wells of Istri #1) by Madeline James
  • [ARC] The Commons (The Commons World #1) by Rebecce Ihim
  • Beneath (Rebirth #1) by Ariel Sullivan
  • [Non-fiction] Big Kids, Bigger Feelings by Alyssa Blask Campbell
  • The Wicked and the Damned (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #2) by Rebecca Robinson
  • A Desert of Bleeding Sand (A Desert of Bleeding Sand #1) by Lucia Damas
  • The Last Wayfinder by Ellen McGinty
  • [ARC/ALC] Rolls and Rivalry (Gaming and Romance #3) by Kristy Boyce
  • [ARC/ALC] First and Forever by Lynn Painter
  • Heart Check (Varsity #1) by Emily Charlotte
  • Perfect Wreckage (Wrecked #2) by Catherine Cowles
  • Heir of Twisted Lies (Stonegate #2) by LJ Andrews
  • [ARC] This Silent City (The Grim Empire #2) by A.C. Hobbs
  • A Love Most Brutal (Morelli Family #2) by Kath Richards
  • A Foolish Proposal (The Gentlemen’s Gamble) by Kasey Stockton
  • [ARC] Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker #1) by Nisha J. Tuli
  • [ARC/ALC] Student Union (The Undergrads #1) by Julie Murphy
  • Vengeful (Villains #2) by V.E. Schwab
  • [ARC] The Last Page by Katie Holt
  • [ARC/ALC] Spur of the Moment (Willow Creek #1) by Juliana Smith
  • The Thorn Queen (The Rose Bargain #2) by Sasha Peyton Smith
  • [Reread] Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC/ALC] The Shippers by Katherine Center
  • I’m Only Me When I’m With Him (Sweeter Than Fiction #3) by Amanda Schimmoeller
  • Wrecked Palace (Wrecked #3) by Catherine Cowles
  • Reckless Refuge (Wrecked #4) by Catherine Cowles

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