Review: Dance of Thieves, by Mary E. Pearson

​⬂↘⬊ Initial Thoughts ⬋↙⬃

       Sometimes, the best books to read are the ones you pick up on a whim. As a book blogger, I try to pick out the books I read with some sort of reasoning. Sometimes I get a recommendation from someone in person, and other times, I am craving a particular genre or type of book. With Dance of Thieves, I let chance pick my next read. After finishing the book I had brought with me to work a couple of weeks ago, I was terribly bored and wanted to start a new book (because obviously). After searching for every single book 

on my TBR in Libby (which is about 20 #shame), this was the only one available for instant checkout. Score. As you can imagine, I went into this book with no expectations whatsoever, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. Summertime is not the typical time for me to pick up a fantasy such as this one, but the medieval-inspired world mirrored my trip to Europe perfectly. I got to see a bunch of beautiful castles and historical buildings during the day, and then I got to read about people who lived there in the evening. 

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⬂↘⬊ Enemies to Lovers ⬋↙⬃

       I’m generally not someone who likes characters who go from enemies to lovers, but Kazi and Jase pulled my heart right out from under me. In other books I’ve read, sometimes the trope doesn’t fit well with the characters and/or the situation, but in this story, Kazi and Jase’s relationship development felt right at home. Each of their inner conflicts felt real and raw, and I could connect with both of them through their separate points of view throughout the book.

⬂↘⬊ Badass Women ⬋↙⬃

       ​Kazi, Wren, and Synové were what made this book for me. These three ladies called their own shots throughout the story and also showed remarkable loyalty to one another. They watched their friends’ backs at all times. I liked how even though they had to fight for themselves, they shared charming moments together, too. There were just as many funny and caring scenes as there were powerful scenes. I think this balance helped ground their friendship in reality and also made me feel like I was a part of their trio.

⬂↘⬊ World and World Building ⬋↙⬃

       Oh, what I wish I would’ve known before starting this book. If you are a Mary Pearson fan, you are probably aware that Dance of Thieves is a spin-off of her Remnant Chronicles trilogy. I, on the other hand, had not been informed of this. Because of this, I found myself a little confused about the world itself, but now that I am aware of this book’s relationship to another series, it all makes sense. So if you haven’t read the Remnant Chronicles and are wanting to tackle Dance of Thieves, make sure you pay extra special attention to world-related information. Less confusion = more love.

​⬂↘⬊ Overall ⬋↙⬃

       I adored Dance of Thieves way more than I thought I would. I’m so glad I took a chance with it. The next book in the series comes out in August, and while I would like to read it, I’m not dying to read it right away. Dance of Thieves had a solid ending for me, so we’ll just have to see if I continue this series in the future.

Your world traveler,
Ashton

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       When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty's resentment and anger.
       At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

​⬂↘⬊ Discuss ⬋↙⬃

Have you read any other YA books about thieves? What do
you think of Dance of Thieves? Let me know if you plan
​on reading it!