ARC Review: Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake

THIEF OF LIES
Author: Brenda Drake
Series: Library Jumpers #1
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication date: January 5th 2016
Book Length: 400 pages
Genres: YA, Fantasy

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.

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Review

Wish you could visit all the libraries in the world? Wouldn’t it be incredible to go from library to library, all in the drop of eye? So what better way to travel than by book? But wait; would a broody guy to accompany you who also looks good in leather I might add, sweeten the deal? How about a magical prophecy, impending doom, evil creatures at every turn but you can kick ass with your new found magical abilities? If the booknerd in you is screaming to get out then welcome to your next read, Thief of Lies is everything you want from a debut Fantasy.

            Gia it a total bookworm, she loves being surrounded by old and new titles and can often be found nose deep in a book. The ever-inquisitive Gia observes what she thinks is just a normal guy in the library but when he disappears into a book, she can’t help but delve deeper into his mysterious disappearance. In doing so she sucks herself and her friends into the book, only to come out half way across the world in Paris and face to face with a demon. Tossed into a magical world she knows nothing about Gia must try her best to save her friends but when she’s the answer to a long forgotten prophecy, her seemingly normal life will never be the same again.

“Gia, you can never be lonely in the company of books.”

Firstly I just need to say how I much I enjoyed Gia as an MC. She was strong, clever and witty but what I appreciated most about her was her practical, realistic nature. Time and time again in YA heroines go above and beyond to prove that they are not ‘weak’ and this usually ends in disaster. Gia is by no means weak but she is pragmatic, she’s new to this world and doesn’t have much knowledge on magic so when it comes to a situation where she could potentially do more harm than good she doesn’t whine but accepts that this isn’t her fight… well not just yet anyway.

            The world building was slow and steady allowing you to adapt along the way, the same goes for the magic, magical creatures and politics of this new world. The romance was adorable and I found myself swooning a time or two, there’s also a possibility of another ship on the horizon and I think given enough time, I just may jump ship but this is not your ordinary good-guy, bad-guy love triangle, not by long shot. It’s the romance that slowly grows on you and before long you’ve completely change your mind, you have to love a ever-changing plot.

Overall Thief of Lies was a spectacular debut by Drake, filled with action, adventure, magic, romance and BOOKS. This fast-paced fantasy filled debut is one you don’t want to miss in 2016. I can’t wait to see what Drake does next and I will be eagerly awaiting Book 2 in the Library Jumpers series. This is a must read for fans of The Girl at Midnight!