Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake @brendadrake @EntangledTeen @YABookShelf #bookreview #fantasy
Title: Thief of Lies
Author: Brenda Drake
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Page Count: 400
My rating: 5 stars
About the book:
Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels—magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books—rescue them from a demonic hound.
Jumping into some of the world’s most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren’t busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik’s world and her own, before both are destroyed.
My review:
Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake is the first book in the Library Jumpers young adult fantasy series. The title of the series is completely accurate in describing what to expect when picking this one up, Gia Kearns is with her friends in a library when she spies a cute boy and while watching him he suddenly disappears. When Gia and her friends go looking they find a book the boy left behind of libraries from around the world and when Gia accidentally speaks a phrase she finds she and her friends are pulled through the book and find themselves in a library in Paris.
After finding themselves halfway around the world and not sure how they got there things suddenly get worse when a demonic hound attacks. But the boy that Gia had followed comes to the rescue. Arik explains that he and his friends are Sentinals charged with protecting humans and the gateways in the libraries. After learning of the strange world from which Arik came from Gia finds that she herself has ties to that world that she never knew existed.
Starting out reading Thief of Lies it reminded me strongly of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter books which I absolutely love so I was hoping for a great read right from the opening pages. Thankfully when done I was not disappointed in the least and found this book quickly formed an identity of it’s own and pulled me into it’s fantasy world much the same way the Shadowhunter series books tend to do.
This series may not be for everyone as I think it does end up covering a lot of the old young adult tropes that I see other readers often complaining about but for me this one would be the example of how to add those in and do it well. We have Gia who finds that the reason she’s been awkward all her life is that she doesn’t belong in our world but in this new fantasy one. We have the oh it’s a cute boy so I must drool. We have a bit of a love triangle in play. But no matter what was thrown in I found it all blended into the story seamlessly and kept my attention and interest so in the end I found myself a fan of this series and glad that I gave it a read.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Find this book online:
About the author:
Brenda Drake, the youngest of three children, grew up an Air Force brat and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When Brenda’s not writing or doing the social media thing, she’s haunting libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops or reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).
Nice review Carrie! I completely agree. While there are quite a few aspects that are derivative of those found in many YA books, this and the sequel were still enjoyable. I just got approved for the third and final book so I’m hoping it ends this trilogy on a high note.😊
Great review! This cover is amazing!!
Awesome review- I really like the sound of this- especially the worldbuilding, since I really like that about Clare’s books!!
Thanks! This is right along the same lines, portal jumping and monster fighting so it was right up my alley. 🙂
Thanks Didi! Yes, definitely one that grabbed my attention and screamed read me!! LOL
I remembered you loving these so when offered the chance to get all three at once I had to take it since I’d missed the first two back when they were releasing. I’m usually a bit leery of picking up more than one in a series to review being worried I just won’t like the first then have to read more too but I figured I was going to like this if you did. 🙂
I can’t wait to hear what you think.😊
You’re welcome! 🙂 Awesome- that sounds brilliant!!
I have the next two so hopefully it will continue to be good too. 🙂
I’ll get a few more out of the way before doing book 2 since 3 has a while yet to publication. 🙂
Fantastic Review Carrie!! This sounds AWESOME!😍📚
Since it meets both of you lady’s approval, I must read this book!😄📚😘
Yay!🤗
Awesome!! 😍😎🤓
Thanks Dani! 🙂
It’s a great series so far Dani 🙂
Yay!!❤❤ I didn’t realize I already requested the 3rd book in this series without reading the 1st 2 already yesterday. No wonder something looked familiar. Brain fart moment! I read someone’s review that said on the third one you didn’t have to read the priors and it could be read as a standalone but drats! But why am I even rambling I might not even get approved. Lol.
Yay!
I’m on their mailing list and they offered all 3 for review on there and already knowing Kim liked them I picked them up. Maybe if you’re approved you could send them a mail and see if they would do the first two?
I think you should read these in order Dani. You’d definitely get more out of them.🤗
Thanks so much for letting me know Kim!😍 I will have to see if I can find them at the lib if I get approved well either way!😊
This is a fantastic idea Carrie!!!❤😊 Thanks so much! I might send them an email asking for all for sure! Yay!
Do you know the website?
I agree, this just seems like one of those fantasy series that wouldn’t make as much since if not starting from the beginning.
Yeah, it definitely wouldn’t hurt to try and explain you didn’t realize it was a series. 🙂
https://entangledpublishing.com/
Yay! Thanks so much!😘 You’re the BEST!❤
Aw thanks Dani! 🙂
I took your advice Carrie and emailed Entangled Teen and they are sending me the first two books via print copies snail mail! So yay!
One thing everyone always says is it never hurts to ask. 🙂