Aya M. Productions

Note: I received this book for free from Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I was not paid to write this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s my first review of 2016!! & I’m excited to be sharing Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake with you all. I mean the series is called Library Jumpers. Can’t go wrong with that, right? In all seriousness, Thief of Lies was a fantastic read with an engaging cast of characters and a slew of libraries I wish I could visit.

At first, I found Gia, the female protagonist, to be your typical shy studious girl shadowed by her more glamorous best friend. She just seemed boring. Once Arik entered the picture and she jumped, things sped up fast. Gia turned out to be a strong, brave character with some hidden talents like fencing. It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for. ;)

I did think the fantasy world Brenda Drake created was a bit confusing at first. There’s a lot to learn, and it felt like it was all dumped on me at once. I think I got lost. Although, Gia didn’t seem all that phased by everything. I’m not sure if it was just me or if the word building could have been refined a bit, but I did get confused. I think I understood everything by the end, though.

(I don’t consider this a spoiler simply because of the rules explained early on about Gia’s new world, but some may find this to be a spoiler. I’m sorry in advance if you find this to be a spoiler. I don’t mean it to be.) There is a love triangle (sort of ). Gia has a betrothed because all Sentinals do, and Gia does apparently feel a connection to her betrothed. Honestly, I didn’t feel it. There was no chemistry between her and her betrothed. Now Gia and Arik? There’s lots of chemistry and lots of miscommunication as well.

Now Arik is definitely a guy I could totally get behind. He’s the leader of their group, extremely talented with fire, and doesn’t hesitate to help his team even if it could cost him his life. He’s not perfect and does make mistakes, especially with Gia. Regardless, he’s my favorite guy in the story.

All-in-all, despite my confusion with the fantasy world and my initial hesitation of Gia, I fell in love with Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake and the whole idea of the Library Jumpers series. I can’t wait to read the next installment. (Anyone know when that will be? Let me know!) I’d suggest anyone that enjoys YA fantasy to check out Thief of Lies. Really anyone that loves the idea of defending human kind while in a library should probably check this book out.