Title: Thief of Lies
Series: Library Jumpers #1
Author: Brenda Drake
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: January 5th, 2016
Page Count: 320 pages
Format: eARC
Source: From publisher via Netgalley
Summary:
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.
*The Reader’s Review*
My rating: 3/5 stars
I am absolutely torn about writing this review because Thief of Lies was a book I wanted to love since I first heard about it, a book I started to love once I began reading, but a book I ended up thinking it was just an okay read, much to my disappointment.
The first half of Thief of Lies was a wonderful set up to what seemed to be an amazing series (and to be honest, it still could be). I loved each character as they were introduced, I loved the world-building, I loved the idea of library jumping from books that would also lead to another dimension where magic, sentinels and other magical creatures existed. I even loved the blooming forbidden romance between the MC, Gia, and a powerful (and handsome) sentinel called Arik. I was digging it so hard.
However, this book slowly started to lose it’s appeal to me when Gia’s thoughts would solely focus on her love drama instead of what really mattered: getting rid of the bad guy. I mean, I love romance and I even squealed once or twice, but I wasn’t thrilled when it became a constant thing. Even less when we are introduced to a second love interest and Gia starts having these inexplicable feelings for the other guy as well. Um, no.
Like I mentioned before, this series has a lot of potential and great characters, but they really need to sort out their priorities before going after the bad guy. I liked Gia because she’s a smart girl and her situation is not an easy one, so I really hope that in the next book, she grows into the character she’s supposed to be and not just a girl that’s torn between two boys, and then thinking about saving the world.
Thief of Lies, just as it is, is a book I would recommend to the younger YA audience since some dialogues between characters are a a bit too cheesy, including from the bad guy, so maybe that’s why I didn’t end up loving it as much as I wanted to? Maybe maybe.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this one either, though I did enjoy it. I believe I gave it 3/5 stars too. I just felt that it was kind of similar to The Mortal Instruments though I did love the world that the author created. Thanks for the review!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
A cheesy bad guy? No. No. No. Count me out. I was kind of excited for this one but no no no. Sorry this was disappointing!
I know exactly what you mean. I had similar problems with it as well. Hopefully the sequel will have a better direction than this one. Great review <3