Livia Blackburne

Disney and Magic Yes Please!



Can I just say that this was pure joy to read. This year has been a rough year for me and books. I have had so much fun reading this that it made me feel like a kid again. Firstly, when I requested this book I had no idea that it was part of a Duo. That being said you can read this as a stand alone and be perfectly fine I was.

As a longtime fan of mythology, history, and Disney, I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to review a great book from Disney Hyperion. The author did such a beautiful job of bringing ancient China to life in such a vivid and magical way. The balance the author struck between the Disney story we know and the historical accuracy. The setting of the narrative felt so alive and the author’s style of writing took on a very cinematic tone, allowing readers to read and bring to life this adventure in their mind’s eye. I can see this as a continued screen play with lots more action to boot.

The character development was show more outstanding in this novel. The way the author delved into Mulan as a person when confronted with her new reality was amazing, as was her relationship with Shang. Not only did the narrative do a great job of tackling the issues of equality amongst the women warriors and showing the balance one must find between showing strength and courage in the face of adversity without losing who they are inside. This book does such a beautiful job showing me and young readers that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being feminine and strong in equal measure. I will be buying my niece a copy of both books when she is a bit older. All young people should read the strength and beauty within these pages. A 5 Star Read all the way! # I Am Totally Obsessed! show less

A world chock full of moral ambiguity - I like this. The three main parties vying for Kyra's loyalties are believably compelling (I'm still not sure if James' "We act as a…balancing force" was a deliberate reference to the "We provide... Leverage" of the eponymous TV series), and equally flawed. The werecats are also very cool. Very readable in a single gulp. It has a sequel but its own ending, Kyra having found a place of temporary safety where she can take stock and figure out what she really thinks of what's going on around her, is also a very satisfying stopping point in itself.

I thought this book was very good. I thought it was a very strong mix between the cinder series and ember in the ashes. I really enjoyed not only the lead characters but also the plot. I thought the world building was done so well and It was easy to become invested in these characters. I enjoyed how this story avoided the insta love issue and made for interesting story. I did think the book had slow moments but overall I was captured from page one. I am very invested in where this series goes in book two!

A fabulous first effort. The world building was sublime, to the point that i didn't even question skin-walking.
Kyra isn't normal. On some level she has always known this. What she didn't know; how closely her fate was tied to a palace knight, and a beast from hell.

The Demon riders have been terrorizing the outskirts of Forge for months. Tales of a people that communicate with and control giant cats to do their bidding have reached into the palace. We Journey with Kyra as one poor decision after another lands the thief in trouble.

I love that Kyra was able to keep her humanity in the end despite her heritage going against it.

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

This delightful young adult fantasy reminds me of Tamora Pierce’s Alanna books. It offers a strong court intrigue from the perspective of an outsider who both has a privileged status and is distrusted by most she comes in contact with. While the complexity of the situation is glossed over at times, everything is presented through the eyes of Kyra, who lacks the experience to understand the implications of what’s going on around her at first, but she learns soon enough.

This is the second book in the Midnight Thief series where I have not read the first. Therefore, I didn’t come into the book already knowing the characters, but I had little difficulty collecting what I needed to know. At the same time, this might have emphasized the sense I had in the beginning of the book that it couldn’t figure out what it wanted to be.

As the story starts, it jumps a bit between a love story, a court intrigue, and an orphan’s story. However, once show more I got past the beginning, though there were definitely times when one theme held the center stage over the others, soon each proved to have a place in a complex, layered tale.

This novel asks big questions about loyalty, risk, doing the right thing, and being true to yourself. It explores inner conflict as well as outer with Kyra trying to come to terms with her mixed blood as much as her friends have to. Social position and the responsibilities of rank also have a place, especially in the situation between Kyra and Tristan. I can’t quite call it a relationship, but I’ll say no more for fear of spoiling. Know only that it offers a glimpse into the workings of their society that would otherwise not be possible.

There are both deep and insightful moments, but largely this is a war adventure story from the perspectives of the many sides as they try to figure out what’s true and what’s manipulated.

It’s also not sweetened. There are losses that impact the characters and tough decisions requiring they really look at themselves and how far they’re willing to go for what they believe in. This aspect is a continuation of the conflict in the previous book, but I had no difficulty in understanding the pressures against Kyra, especially where James, her former associate, is concerned.

And speaking of James, I appreciated how the complex morality questions were not given simple solutions. The opportunity was there, but Blackburne used it to heighten Kyra’s struggles rather than resolve them.

I enjoyed the romp as much as the deeper questions and am curious about where they go from here. That’s the sign of a good story with strong characters. I’ve mentioned only a few in part because there is a somewhat large cast, but they each have their moments, no matter how small, and help to inform the narrative as a whole.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. show less

Full disclosure: I was a beta reader for an earlier draft of Daughter of Dusk last fall. This is my review of the ARC which has changed so much since then; it always amazes and thrills me to no end to see the process of a book coming together, so I would like to thank author Livia Blackburne for the opportunity.

Daughter of Dusk is the sequel to Midnight Thief, the novel that first introduced us to the protagonist Kyra of Forge and her world of assassins, thieves and shapeshifting Demon Riders. Since the events of the last novel, Kyra has learned the truth of her heritage. Only those closest to her know her secret, including her close ally Tristam Brancel the former Palace Knight. But there is another who knows, one who Kyra fears she cannot trust. James, the ex-leader of the Assassins Guild is now in custody and behind bars, but what’s stopping him from selling out Kyra to buy his own freedom?

Meanwhile, Demon Riders continue to raid the surrounding villages of Forge, and suddenly show more Kyra finds herself in the unique position to do something about it. Angered by the ineffectual methods of the city’s council to protect their own people and the corruption in its ranks, she is driven to do something desperate and extreme. Torn between two worlds, Kyra now must decide how far she is willing to go to save Forge and prepare for the biggest battle of her life.

Daughter of Dusk is the next big step for Kyra. In the first book she was the young and naïve thief who simply looked after herself and her own, without much care for matters outside her own sphere of existence. In this sequel, however, her eyes have been opened. No longer is she ignorant of her own identity and power, and she’s discovered herself and what matters to her. The difference is very noticeable; Kyra takes initiative and makes a lot of her own decisions in this book, a far cry from the girl in Midnight Thief who was manipulated and led around by the older, craftier and more experienced James.

Even though not all her decisions are the best, there’s no doubt Kyra is the one calling a lot of the shots in this book. As a result, I think Daughter of Dusk has a more mature and overall darker vibe, especially when the plot drives Kyra to do some rather unsavory things. I mentioned in my review of Midnight Thief that it felt like that book was skewed towards younger audiences, specifically the upper Middle Grade range. In contrast, I don’t think I can say the same for this second book, which is more suitably Young Adult. There was a huge change in the story here from when I did the beta read, a choice that I think makes a lot more sense given how it better explains the motivation behind some of Kyra’s more drastic, brutal actions. There were also some twists that surprised me just as much as they did the first time around.

In addition, I liked that there was no true romance arc, so if that’s what you’re looking for in your YA, you’ll probably end up disappointed. In this case, I personally felt the understated love story elements actually helped rather than hindered the story. One of the reasons I enjoyed Tristam’s character so much is because of his down-to-earth nature and the fact neither he nor Kyra sidetracked the events of the novel (too much) with needless dramatics, though there was still the requisite arranged marriage plot point to throw a wrench in the works. Nevertheless, the absence of a full-blown love triangle makes me breathe a sigh of relief.

Overall, I found this sequel just as enjoyable as book one. There were some predictable parts, but in general there were more unexpected twists in book two. Compared to the earlier version I saw of this novel, the author has also really polished up the story, even if the ending remained slightly rushed and tied up a little too neatly. Despite these minor flaws though, this second volume did a great job developing its protagonist. Kyra truly came into her own in Daughter of Dusk, and it was a pleasure to experience her story. All told, Daughter of Dusk combined a good balance of action and fantasy to deliver a worthy conclusion. show less

This book tells the story of a young girl who moves from her home in China, leaving behind her grandmother, to start a new life in the United States. Despite the distance, she remains connected to her family and her cultural roots, especially to someone who means the world to her. This book is perfect for younger audiences, including preschoolers and kindergarteners, as they can relate to the theme of cherishing special people in their lives. I’d love to use this book in a family unit to help students see reflections of their own experiences through a story from a different perspective.

I was introduced to the world of Midnight Thief late last year when author Livia Blackburne offered me a review copy of the prequel novella, Poison Dance. After reading it I came to two conclusions. First, Ms. Blackburne obviously puts a lot of care and effort into her writing, and knows how to tell a great story. And second, if what I saw in her novella was any indication, the actual book is going to be awesome.

In Midnight Thief, we get to meet a couple of brand new protagonists: Kyra, the thief who barely manages to eke out a living by stealing or doing the odd job, and Tristam of Brancel, the newly promoted Palace Knight (or glorified Palace Guard, depending on how you look at it). If you’ve read Poison Dance, some familiar faces turn up too, like James, now leader of the Assassin’s Guild, who approaches Kyra with a lucrative offer. All she has to do is train with the guild, run a few errands, and he promises her that she will never lack for anything again.

Meanwhile, trade show more in Forge is disrupted as a clan of vicious raiders begin targeting the caravans to and from the city. These Demon Riders and their wild cats keep young Tristam and his fellow knights busy on patrol as gradually the attacks grow bolder and closer to Forge. On one fateful raid, Tristam and Kyra’s paths cross and their lives become irrevocably intertwined. Thief and Knight must join forces and learn to work together if they’re going to uncover a greater conspiracy rotting at the heart of Forge.

Though classified as Young Adult, the book feels like it could be aimed at younger readers, perhaps closer to upper Middle Grade. There is a strong thread of romance, but it isn’t a big part of the novel, nor does it come into play until much later. Tristam doesn’t even make his first appearance until after a handful of Kyra’s chapters, and it also surprised me how long it took for them to finally meet face-to-face for the first time. This struck me as an oddity, until I realized I didn’t actually mind. It’s nice to see a YA novel once in a while that doesn’t follow the formula, and we were able to get to know Kyra and Tristam a lot better individually without the overbearing pressure to thrust the two of them into a relationship right away.

The story was also in line with my thoughts on the target audience -- straightforward and suitably complex, if a bit predictable at times (there were a lot of not-too-subtle hints at Kyra’s “startling secret” about her past, for one). In spite of this, I still found this book greatly enjoyable and entertaining; the plot may not have held any unseen surprises for me, but the characters sure did. The dynamics were so intricate and layered that I never could determine which faction were the “good guys” or the “bad”, because nothing was ever so simple or black and white. In the end, I just gave up trying to put a label on anybody’s motivations and ultimately settled for rooting for Kyra. I liked her, and no matter what I knew I wanted to see things end up well for our talented young thief.

Which reminds me, if you haven’t read Poison Dance yet, I do highly recommend making the effort to pick it up first before tackling this novel. It’s not required, but it’s a short read and won’t take up much of your time. More importantly, the novella will help you see a certain character in Midnight Thief in a whole different light, and perhaps make him a lot more sympathetic in your eyes. It definitely served to enhance my experience.

If you’re looking for a good medieval era inspired YA fantasy and don’t mind a narrative that skews a tad towards younger readers, I would recommend this novel. It’s fun, adventurous, and strong on character development. show less

Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne is a prequel novella to her upcoming novel Midnight Thief. It tells the story of a certain Assassin’s Guild member that I’m hoping we come to know in Midnight Thief and convinces me further that I need Midnight Thief IMMEDIATELY. Poison Dance manages to pack world-building, character development, feels, and “OMG what just happened??” all into one little novella; I’m impressed! Also I don’t normally read novellas, so hopefully that tells you something >.>.
Note: I received Poison Dance from the author in exchange for an honest review.



Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne (Midnight Thief #0.5)
Published by Author on Sept. 24th, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Length: 86 pages
How I got my copy: Author

James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild. Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out—if he’ll help her kill a powerful show more nobleman. With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. But when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison.
Strengths:
I generally avoid novellas because I crave a nice full plot. However, Poison Dance did not disappoint me, since it was able to pack in an awesome plot.
James! Gah, there better be plenty of James in Midnight Thief is all I’m saying.
The writing of Poison Dance is quite high quality. It’s actually small/indie published (depending on your definitions), but I didn’t find a single typo or awkward phrase, so I doubt you would have even realized if I hadn’t told you ;-).
I’m so excited to go into Midnight Thief with a little bit more of the backstory of what I’m guessing is a secondary character. From Midnight Thief’s description, James is around but isn’t an MC, but I’m going to be reading his appearances in a whole new light knowing what I know now about him *pets*.
Weaknesses:
The romance of Poison Dance felt a little bit rushed to me, but it is a novella. There is the mention that several weeks go by, so it’s not really as rushed as it feels to the reader. It is also a pretty darn complicated romance due to everything that is going on in Thalia’s life, so I’m not 100% sure exactly what happened with James and Thalia (it fades to black, hehe), but… it’s complicated. This leads into my next point…
More please? This is what novellas always do to me! I always wish that they could be stretched into longer stories so that I can find out more about what is going on in everyone’s heads. Basically, I need Midnight Thief please. *puppy eyes*
Summary:
Poison Dance was an excellent introduction to Blackburne’s writing and the world of Midnight Thief. Previously I was interested (assassins!), but Midnight Thief was one of many fantasies on the list. Now, Midnight Thief is one of my top priorities for summer books and I’m quite sure I will devour it in a day or two. Go read Poison Dance, you’ll thank me ;-). show less

When I first saw the intriguing description for the upcoming book Midnight Thief, I just knew I had to check it out. But with a release date of summer 2014, it was going to be quite the wait. So it was a pleasant surprise when I was contacted by the author and asked if I would like to read and review the book's prequel novella, Poison Dance. Needless to say, I eagerly accepted; I hadn't even known there was a prequel, and thought it would be an excellent opportunity to catch an early glimpse of the world and get a taste of the writing style.

Now that I've read it, I'm just as excited if not more for the first book of the series. Livia Blackburne first described Poison Dance to me as "darker, and heavier on the romance" than Midnight Thief, and probably leans more towards adult fantasy than young adult. She's absolutely spot on, as those are all things I picked up from this novella. It stars James, a skilled assassin who is approached one night by Thalia, a dancing girl who offers show more him a job to kill a powerful nobleman. And if he won't take it, she is determined to go through with it all the same, with or without his help.

I'm typically very picky about my short stories and novellas; characters always come first in my reading, so I find the fewer pages there are in a story, the more challenging it is to make me grow attached to or form a connection with the protagonist. However, Poison Dance impressed me immediately, painting a clear picture of who James is in a very short period of time. I also found out later that he will only be a supporting character in Midnight Thief, but that just makes me think: how much more awesome will the characterization in that book be, if even someone in the supporting cast like James gets this much thought into his back story? Livia Blackburne obviously puts a lot of care and effort into her world and characters, and if what I saw in Poison Dance is any indication, I'm sure it's going to pay off.

This novella sets the tone nicely, and gives a good general background for the world in which the series will take place. I didn't expect too much world building, but what is there definitely piques my interest. If Poison Dance is meant to build up my enthusiasm and fuel my eagerness for Midnight Thief, then its mission was most certainly accomplished. show less

A beautiful story of intergenerational closeness despite geographic distance (immigration). A young girl moves from Taipei to San Diego; she learns a new language but keeps in touch with her Popo (grandmother) via videochats and occasional visits. After a few years, Popo grows sick. "I dream of Popo coming to me while I sleep. I say, 'Ni hao.' She says, 'Hello.'"

Back matter includes an extensive author's note and illustrator's note, a photo of each, and a glossary.

See also: Priya Dreams of Marigolds and Masala; The Arabic Quilt; Sugar in Milk; Maud and Grand-Maud

"Other words, too, are hard to catch, like fish in a deep well."

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher of HarperCollins, and the author Livia Blackburne for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Blackburne writes an entertaining YA story about Chinese/Asian Americans and the importance of Chinatowns/Asian ethnic enclaves and community. Blackburne's usage of the internet, social media, and social media activism remain topical and relevant to contemporary Asian/Chinese American activism. Blackburne's discussion of cultural tradition vs modernization/Westernization/fusion/adaptation echoes past debates within the Asian/Chinese American space and scene. Blackburne's discussion of these themes occurs with the main protagonist, Clementine Chan, and her love interest, Danny Mok. If readers are familiar with Chinese American history, they'll know and understand Clementine Chan as Chinese Americans have engaged in modernization/Westernization/fusion/adaptation throughout history. That's one of the ways in which Chinatown has been created and how show more Chinese Americans have survived in America. Think of Westernized Chinese food like chop suey, PF Changs, or General Tso's Chickens. Readers will also appreciate learning more about traditional Chinese tea culture. One minor critique is exploring more of the class dynamic between Clementine and Danny and how class as well as gender inform their lived experiences. I wished Clementine could unpack her class experience more and Danny with misogyny and being an Asian man. Nonetheless, this was a quick and fun breeze to read through. show less

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4.5 Out Of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author
Reviewer: Jennifer

Needless to say, I’m usually not a big fan of high fantasy, but in the short 54 pages of Poison Dance I was hooked. This novella tells the story of Thalia a dancer and James, an assassin for the Assassin’s Guild, that’s she pays to kill a neighboring warlord. Thalia has no experience in murder and while James struggles to teach her, he is also forced to deal with problems occurring within the guild.

While Poison Dance is only a short prequel to Midnight Thief, it definitely keeps your attention. Livia Blackburn does an excellent job making these characters stand alone in their own novella. Her words are magical, and the dialogue between the characters is almost exquisite. Each and every page was pure delight and only made me crave more of this fantastical world she created. While this review is short to avoid spoilers, I can’t give enough praise to the wonderful show more author for casting her net and hooking me into devouring the novella. Poison Dance is a MUST READ for any fan of fantasy, assassins, engaging characters and EPIC tales. show less

...a thief, a knight and devouring Demon Cats!

Kyra is a street wise, yet compassionate gutter rat whose grown up in the alleyways of Forge. Foraging for a living, she has been rescued by Flick and Belle. Their kindness and acceptance plays into her attitude to the helpless and caring for others like the self she was. Her barely formed memories of beginnings haunt her nights. As Flick says at one stage, when troubled Kyra always heads upward. It's in the heights that she feels alive and at peace. She can breathe. A thief who can climb and enter places that others don't dare, her skill catches the eyes of the leader of the Assassins Guild--the mysterious and lethal, cold hearted James.
Tristam is a knight of the Red Shields sworn to uphold the law in Forge and to protect the people. Battling the Demon Riders and their giant Cats, he suffers the loss of friends and an awareness of their implacability. Watching your best friend being torn to bits and devoured does tend to hone your show more desire for vengeance.
When the paths of these two cross, loyalties are put on hold, dark secrets are revealed and life takes different a path for both.
At the start I thought, mmm! The plot sounds familiar. Another desperate young thief who turns out to be a wonder! Not so! The story takes some strange twists and turns that I certainly didn't see coming.

A NetGalley ARC show less

This novella was a nice introduction to the world of Forge and some of the people who are trying to survive there. James is young but a seasoned killer. His first kill was his own father. He killed him because he was beating James' sister who died of her injuries. He was taken in by the leader of the Assassin's Guild. Now, that leader is dead, and James doesn't get along with the new man in charge.

When he is approached by a young dancer to take a commision to kill a nobleman, he declines. But he does offer to help train Thalia to kill the man herself. Thalia offers a chance to make some coin by doing some smuggling. Coin would be very helpful in letting James and a couple of his friends leave town and start somewhere new.

James learns that Thalia lied about her target who happens to be in cahoots with James' new boss. After a tragedy, James decides that staying and cleaning up the Assassin's Guild is a better idea than leaving.

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne is not your ordinary fantasy about a thief. For one thing, Kyra is not an ordinary thief, and for another, strange things are afoot in her world these days. Midnight Thief was one of my most anticipated reads for 2014 after I read Poison Dance, the prequel novella. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I was wonderfully surprised and now must patiently wait for book two to be announced…. ;-)
Note: I received Midnight Thief from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.



Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne (Midnight Thief #1)
Published by Disney Hyperion on July 8th, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Length: 368 pages
How I got my copy: Publisher

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, show more she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

Strengths:
Now, I really like thief fantasies, so I was completely prepared for a snarky and banter-filled story with some fantasy elements, but not the main focus on the fantasy aspects of the world. Midnight Thief is not your typical thief fantasy, however! I was wonderfully surprised with the direction the plot took. Even though it started with snarky banter between Kyra and her thieving friends, Midnight Thief ends up much more solidly on the fantasy end of the spectrum. It ended up being a nice mix of the typical thief tropes and a more epic fantasy type of world; what a wonderful combination!
Midnight Thief breaks the mold of young adult books these days by not having a major romance plot line. A little bit of a crush is hinted at here and there, but it never became the central focus of the story. There is, however, potential for a really darn adorable romance to develop in future books, yey!
Without giving anything away, Midnight Thief has some awesome magic and I’m bouncing in anticipation of how it will develop in the series. There is also a really awesome world hinted at in Midnight Thief, even though Kyra doesn’t stray much outside of her home city. There are definitely some adventures ahead for this series and I’m so so excited to discover Kyra’s world with her.
Midnight Thief had a refreshing amount of moral ambiguity throughout the plot. While there was certainly a main villain, you probably won’t be able to guess immediately who that villain is. Kyra and Tristam have to deal with some pretty difficult decisions as they realize their world is much less black and white than they thought.
If you have read Poison Dance, you’ll run into familiar characters but in a much different way than you might think. I love how Poison Dance and Midnight Thief interact as stories since they portray two very different perspectives on what is going on in the city.

Weaknesses:
I had a bit of a struggle connecting with Kyra and Tristam while reading Midnight Thief. I like to end up feeling like the main characters are friends by the end of a book, and I still feel like Kyra is this girl that is so cool and I want to be friends with, but I’m not cool enough for her ;-). She isn’t an unlikeable character by any means, but for some reason that connection just didn’t quite form.
A lot of the plot of Midnight Thief is driven by Kyra and Tristam’s reactions to situations instead of active plans on their part. This is a plot style that I’m not particularly a fan of, since it makes the characters seem much less purposeful. I have hope for book two though given how things ended, hehe.
Because of the above two points, Midnight Thief dragged more than I expected. It isn’t overly long, but I found myself less compelled to read just one more page than I normally expect with fantasy. Some of this is also because of the reactionary nature of the plot; I just didn’t know where things were going, so I didn’t have anything to look forward to plotwise.

Summary:
Midnight Thief ended up being different than I expected in the best way. It is great to see young adult fantasy that branches out of the traditional fantasy tropes and I’m very excited to see where the series goes. I love the moral grey area that Kyra and Tristam have to traverse in Midnight Thief since it really revealed who they are as characters. The world of Midnight Thief promises to be truly epic, and I need book two now please! show less

Publicado originalmente: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

Tengo un libro físico tan pocas veces que cuando por fin obtengo uno, no tengo idea de como acomodarlo para leer; no puedo acostarme de lado, necesito de luz especial en la noche, la sobrecubierta se sale ¿De verdad quiero un libro físico después de toda la incomodidad? Sí, mil veces sí. Ahora más que nunca porque obviamente estoy perdiendo práctica xD Además el ya de por sí bellísimo libro, ¡vino autografiado!

Midnight Thief es una novela de la cual no sabía muy bien que esperar, la portada no me dice nada más allá de que quizá es en un palacio o en esa época a lo Robin Hood, además que el título es claro "Ladrón de Medianoche" ¿Pero qué más?

Una historia típica no tan típica

No se muy bien como poner al libro porque me ha gustado, se me ha hecho interesante. Los puntos positivos: el romance ha sido prácticamente inexistente, una pequeña chispa en algún momento y luego se olvidó completamente. La parte show more paranormal es diferente porque no usa los típicos seres o magia acostumbrada, el mundo de Midnight Thief también es algo a tener en cuenta, no específica exactamente dónde es que está situado, sino que son ciudades originales de la historia y, la relación fraternal es bonita.

Pero.

Ya esperaba los clichés del libro, no lo voy a negar. Pero el libro no me dio esa sensación adictiva, esa expectativa al iniciar un libro nuevo interesante. No es aburrido pero sí es largo y a veces denso. Kyra, la protagonista, varias veces me hizo desesperar por su credulidad, la manera "inocente" en como inicia todo el lío a mi parecer es completamente evitable, sentí un poco forzado el que Kyra entre al Gremio. Además de que daba a entender que cada personaje masculino importante que entraba en contacto con ella al parecer se interesaba un poquito demasiado en ella.



No estoy tan emocionada con el libro, tiene cosas interesante pero también tiene muchas cosas de las que hubiera pasado tranquilamente, eso sí, el libro es una preciosidad en persona.

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Saggio ambizioso che si propone di spiegare i meccanismi di lettura dalla comprensione delle parole fino all'elaborazione dei testi letti.
Le varie fasi di comprensione sono delineate facendo uso della nota fiaba "Cappuccetto Rosso"; trovo che questo faciliti la comprensione del saggio anche perchè la fiaba è molto nota, quindi il lettore non deve concentrarsi sulla trama in sè (che conosce) ma sul significato delle parti scelte rispetto al livello di comprensione che viene delineato nel paragrafo (mamma mia che spiegazione contorta che ho creato).
Insomma si parla della comprensione delle parole, dell'empatia rispetto alle vicende lette, dell'elaborazione delle immagini durante la lettura da parte del cervello e così via.
Gli spunti sono molti e interessanti, le affermazioni sono corredate da dati scientifici o esperimenti fatti per dimostrarle, il saggio segue un percorso logico che porta da un livello di comprensione semplice a uno più complesso; in definitiva l'ho trovato show more molto ben scritto e argomentato, consigliato. show less

I have such mixed feelings about this book. Some of the characters pulled me in, and I found myself eagerly reading certain chapters because I had to know what would happen to them. Exactly what you want from a book, right? So why the mixed feelings? Because when I wasn't eagerly reading those certain chapters, I kept forgetting I was reading this book.

Just like with the first book in the series, Rosemarked, while the plot is intriguing and the characters are compelling, the book is too long for the story it's telling. It's like wandering in the desert alongside Zivah and Dineas...every once in a while, you may come across an oasis of a few chapters and can't stop reading, but in between are long stretches of nothing progressing. It's not a bad read, but the pace was too slow to keep me consistently engaged, and in the end there wasn't even any of the resolution that I expected. Ultimately, if you need something to read and this duology is what's available, go ahead and pick it show more up. If you're weighing your options and this is one of them, there are better books out there. show less

Poison Dance is a prequel novella to Livia Blackburne's [b:Midnight Thief|17566814|Midnight Thief (Midnight Thief, #1)|Livia Blackburne|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1383982568s/17566814.jpg|24502541], which comes out later this year.

James, a supporting character in Midnight Thief, is a young member of an Assassin's Guild. The story follows his interactions with the Guild's newest leader, Gerred, who has a vendetta against him, and a young woman named Thalia, who's out to murder a nobleman for mysterious reasons.

I thought that for such a short story, Poison Dance manages to cover a lot of ground. It introduces a lot of character backstory, some general world-building, and great character relationships and development. It's a quick read that gives you a good overview of Blackburne's world while depicting an interesting "rise to power" story the outcome of which I assume is relevant to Midnight Thief.

The characters were particularly well written, their motivations and show more personalities clearly fleshed out. There was a substantial amount of action, good twists and turns, and a pretty enjoyable though somewhat predictable ending.

To be honest, this isn't really a genre I frequently read, so I wasn't incredibly excited to read this story. However, regardless of my personal interests, I think Poison Dance is a pretty good lead-in to what I'm sure will be a great novel.

Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of Poison Dance from the author, Livia Blackburne, in exchange for an honest review. show less

I thought this book was very good. I thought it was a very strong mix between the cinder series and ember in the ashes. I really enjoyed not only the lead characters but also the plot. I thought the world building was done so well and It was easy to become invested in these characters. I enjoyed how this story avoided the insta love issue and made for interesting story. I did think the book had slow moments but overall I was captured from page one. I am very invested in where this series goes in book two!

This is my second read through of Midnight Thief and being perfectly honest, I still enjoyed it. It isn’t perfect, though, so lets start with one of the things I didn’t like.

For one, there’s a very clear love triangle forming. Kyra grew up with Flick, who helped get her out of the gutter and develop her trade. But then there’s Tristam, the sweet, good-hearted young knight from a noble family. Kyra doesn’t spend a lot of time harping over, “Oh my, fellas, whoever shall I kiss?” but the tension between the boys is definitely there. I imagine this will develop further in Daughter of Dusk, which I haven’t read yet.

There’s a twist in the middle of the book about Kyra herself, which I didn’t expect the first time I read it. Obviously now that this was a re-read, the twist was familiar, but I remember being floored the first time, as I was so caught up in other aspects of the plot, I hadn’t even considered the possibility. I will still give Livia Blackburne points show more for her plot twist, because it was memorable to me.

Within that plot twist, though? Character reactions were far more accepting as a whole than I felt were realistic. Now, it’s one thing to have some people understand, but thus far there’s been no pushback or fear about the revelation, and it just seems so unlikely to me. Books are always more interesting to me when there’s a bit of struggle, and Kyra didn’t have very much in this aspect.

The characters themselves are… fine? I don’t think they’re quite deep enough to be impressive, but they aren’t so shallow that they are entirely forgettable. Kyra is the best of the bunch, but I would like to see more of Idalee and Lettie. The boys are pretty forgettable, though, which makes the romance that much more unappealing to me? But the romantic aspects (which are minor – this is still developing) are fluffy and that will appeal to a certain readership. The villain, James, I felt had a lot of wasted potential because he was a good character with something more clearly beneath the surface, but I felt his part was played too quickly and ended too cleanly. Whether we’ll know more in Daughter of Dusk, I don’t know, but I would like to
.
One of the things I liked best about Midnight Thief is sort of spoilery – ack, which is the worst when you are trying to write a review? Livia Blackburne chose a particular paranormal element to include in this story that I enjoyed because even though it’s easily recognizable, it’s not commonly found (in my experience) and I think that was part of what I liked about the plot twist.

While Midnight Thief is not so memorable that I would give it five stars and read it over and over again, it’s still an enjoyable read and I found myself falling into the world every time I picked it up. Recommended for any fan of YA fantasy including girls who defy the odds and boys who are kind and cities that are possible corrupt. show less

Wow! Poison Dance was an amazing novella that left me salivating for Midnight Thief. The story is one you don't want to miss!

For those of you just hearing about this novella, Poison Dance is a novella surrounding James, a supporting character in the upcoming Midnight Thief. Also note, the novel Midnight Thief will be published by Disney-Hyperion in Summer 2014, so you can read this novella now to excite you about the release and get a early look into the world Livia Blackburne has created.

High Fantasy is my absolute favorite genre, earning itself the position after I devoured Tamora Pierce and Jessica Day George's many series, so needless to say, I had high expectations. Thankfully, my flying hopes were met. James's story was powerful, intriguing, and a great introduction to this new world.

Within the mere 54 pages, I actually felt like I connected to James, Thalia, and the rest of the cast. James had this cool and fascinating demeanor... I immediately wanted to know his story and show more secrets! Thalia was a very well written character, with her air of confidence and determination to murder a certain nobleman.

There is never a dull moment. Within the Assassin's Guild, many things are happening. Thalia is plotting a murder, James is teaching her, and there is a new leader that may just make James' and his friends lives more complicated.

You would think a novella, being a good but shorter than a 350 page book, wouldn't leave much of an impact on you. Wrong. By the end of Poison Dance, I definitely was filled with emotion, and I will report that the author ends James's story with a bang.

Overall, the superb world building, characters, amazing ending, dialogue, and writing in Poison Dance makes this novella a satisfying read. I know that myself and many others are anxiously awaiting Midnight Thief. Who wouldn't be counting the days 'till Midnight Thief after reading Poison Dance?

4.5/5 Stars (rounded up to five!)

*Received for free in exchange for a 100% honest review* show less

This book follows the life of a young girl as she moves away from her grandmother and her home in China to start a new life in the United States. Despite the distance, she is still able to be connected to her family and her background, especially one of the people who matter most to her. I think this book is great for a younger audience, even pre-schoolers or kindergarteners who would be able to connect it to the special people that they care about. I would love to use this book in a family unit, just to show students a message that mirrors their own lives through a story that might not.

While I probably should have read the prequel book, Poison Dance, I certainly enjoyed Livia Blackburnes fast-paced adventure story Midnight Thief which included lots of intrigue, danger, and some kick-assed characters in Kyra, a young and remarkable thief and Tristam, a Knight of forge. Kyra and Tristam team up to stop Barbarian attacks on Forge. If you like YA fantasy with an exciting twist with well written characters, than you should definitely check this out! I certainly look forward to reading the next book in the series, Daughter of Dusk.
Jack Murphy

Short, basic but interesting, well written. If you have an interest in language, literature, and (very basic) neuroscience you'll likely enjoy it.

I loved the heroine Kyra. She is smart,strong,and fierce but still compassionate and will do anything for the people she loves. She doesn't have much and was a street rat before she meet her friend Flick and she started stealing for a living. She never steals from the poor only the rich. She doesn't even know her true age but she and her friends guess at around 17. She doesn't remember anything before being a street rat including how she became one or her family.

When she is approached by James the leader of the Assassin's Guild to do some jobs for them(stealing and mapping from and of the Palace)for good money. She agrees after some thought as long as she doesn't have to kill anyone. James is a huge mystery throw most of the book.I didn't get much of a read on him until around half way throw. Kyra wants to make the city better for the poor and untitled and other then needing a job and it being good money I think that is why she joined the Guild.

The hero of the story is a knight show more called Tristam.I loved his character.He is rich but honorable and hates court politics.When he does stay at court there is a great reason. Malikel Tristam's boss is the only foreigner in the government and an amazing strategist and he treats everyone equal. As you can guess by this summery of his character he is not very popular at a court who cares nothing for anyone but themselves. The Beast Riders will have you trying to figure out who they are and what they want. I found them a very intersecting addition to the book.

In this book I found it very hard to label any one group as good guys or bad guys.This world is very grey. This world has you asking who's side would you choice? Which side is the worst? There was romance in the book but it wasn't a huge focus. The action and adventure were top notch. I can't wait for book 2. show less

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Wonderful story with a gripping plot, fun characters, and an intriguing world! I didn’t quite like it as much as the first book, but it was still a very entertaining read!

Opening Sentence: The snow was a problem, the way it crunched beneath Kyra’s shoes and bore marks of her passing.

The Review:

Kyra grew up on the streets and she learned to survive by becoming a thief. She can scale walls and do things most normal people can’t. It turns out the reason she is agile is because she has Demon Rider blood running through her veins. She is only half demon rider, but she can’t help feeling like she is a monster. She is currently on good terms with the palace, but if they find out her true identity they will hunt her down and kill her.

Things are escalating in Forge and the Demon Rider attacks are growing more frequent. Kyra feels so out of place because she isn’t welcome in the Demon Rider’s camp and with her secrets she is show more constantly worried about staying in the city. It looks as if war is inevitable, but maybe Kyra can stop it. With the help of Tristam, the brave noble knight she has developed feelings for, and some of her street rat friends, Kyra has to face her past and hope that she will be able to save her city so she has a future!

Kyra is an interesting character. She is a silent and intellectual type of person. She tends to keep to herself and doesn’t like to show others how she feels. I tend to like more bubbly characters that have sharp mouths, but there was just something about Kyra that made me really love her. She is smart and always assesses situations before rushing to a decision and I respected that. She has had a hard life and has made the most out of her bad upbringing. It’s hard not to admire her determination and skill in doing whatever needs to be done. You get to learn so much more about her background, and I really liked how she dealt with all of the information she learns. Even though she’s not the normal type of character I love, I still ended up really liking her, and I am glad I got to read her story.

Tristam is such a great guy. He is loyal to the core and level-headed. He is very courageous and someone you can easily identify as a hero. He always tries to do the right thing even though it is really difficult at times. I feel like he is just one of those characters you can’t help but love and respect. Sure he’s not perfect and makes stupid mistakes at times, but overall he is genuinely good person. His relationship with Kyra is so sweet and slow burning. There isn’t a ton of romance in the story, but the little interaction between these two was done perfectly. Tristam was a great addition to the story and I just adored him.

Daughter of Dusk is a really great and entertaining read. I loved Midnight Thief and was really excited to enter back into the world Blackburne created. While I didn’t quite love this one as much as the first book, I did still really enjoy it. It is action packed and from page one I was instantly engrossed back into the story. The plot really thickened and kept me very intrigued the whole time. The characters were so much fun to get to know, and very easy to connect with. The romance was very subtle, but it was developed so well. The pacing was spot on all except for the ending. I felt that things seem a little rushed at the end. I may have felt this way due to the fact that for some reason I thought this was going to be a trilogy where in fact it is actually a dualogy. This was the final book and I guess I just wasn’t prepared for the story to end. It wasn’t a bad ending per say, but I felt like it could have been better. With that being said this was still an amazing read and I would highly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys high fantasy!

Notable Scene:

“I don’t have to answer to you anymore,” Kyra said.

James actually laughed, though the laugh ended in a cough.

“And yet, you’re here. No, Kyra. If you’ve gone to this much trouble to speak to me, you want something from me. And unless you plan to add your own cuts to those your masters have decorated me with, then I’ll have something from you in return. Starting with the real reason why you came.”

Funny. Kyra had planned this breakin perfectly, from fashioning the keys to getting past the door guards. But here in this cell, her plans came up short. As she’d lain awake plotting, she’d known that she wanted to talk to James. But now she didn’t have the words.

“You’ve not given me away,” she said.

“Of course.” James’s eyes refocused on her face. “Your… surprising identity. Did you know what you were before the Demon Riders took you?”

Kyra didn’t answer.

“I’ll wager you didn’t. You didn’t have their bloodlust. And you still don’t.”

FTC Advisory: Disney-Hyperion provided me with a copy of Daughter of Dusk. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Gripping high fantasy that is impossible to put down. With amazing characters, a gorgeous world, and wonderful adventure this is a must read for all high fantasy fans!

Opening Sentence: This job could kill her.

The Review:

Kyra has been an orphan ever since she can remember and for years she grew up in the streets. Eventually she learned how to provide for herself by stealing what she needs. She never takes more than she needs to survive, but sometimes it would be nice to have more. When she is offered a place with the Assassins Guild, she doesn’t know if she will be able to refuse — even if it is the right thing to do. Working for the Guild will provide her with more money than she would ever need and the opportunity to help kids that are less fortunate like her. But even though the Guild’s intentions are honorable, the way they go about it to fulfill their goals isn’t always the best, and joining them would mean that Kyra show more would have to do things that go against everything she believes in. But the leader of the Guild is very persuasive and the reward might be too great to pass up.

Tristam has always known that he would be a knight. All his brothers, his father, and even his grandfather were knights. Tristam is almost finished with his training and he plans to move back out to the country and join the road patrols. But his plans change when one of his closest friends is brutally murdered by Demon Riders. Instead of retiring to the quite countryside he asks to be assigned to work under the Ministry of Defense in hopes of catching the killer of his best friend. His new job brings him into the city and face to face with a thief that has extraordinary talents.

Kyra is such an amazing heroine. She is witty, interesting and a very well rounded character. Having grown up on the streets she has always had to steal to survive. She is an amazing thief and can do things that most other people would think impossible. I think my favorite thing about Kyra is that even though she doesn’t always follow the law she tries to always do the right thing. She has made some terrible mistakes in her life and there have been some pretty dire consequences because of those bad decisions. But Kyra takes responsibly for her choices and she tries to make amends whenever it is required. She has many amazing qualities, but she also has lot of realistic flaws that made her a very believable character. She was a very easy character to connect with I loved reading every minute of her story.

Tristam is an adorable guy and I instantly loved him. He has lived a somewhat sheltered life until very recently and I really respected how loyal and honest he is. He is also really intelligent which is always a very attractive quality to have. He is a soldier and therefore is suppose to follow whatever he is commanded to do, but I love that he has a rebellious streak whenever it comes to doing the right thing. He is someone that you can cheer for and easily fall in love with. His relationship with Kyra is very subtle and develops very slowly throughout the story. For the most part their relationship isn’t romantic, but I there is hope that it could turn into that in future books. Overall, I totally adored Tristam and think that he is a great male character.

Midnight Thief was an exceptional story that I loved from start to finish. Going into this book I had heard a lot of good things about it so I had pretty high expectations and it did not disappoint. The world that Blackburne created was gorgeous and descriptive! There was great adventure and tons of suspense that definitely keeps you intrigued throughout the entire book. Surprisingly the story also really pulled at my heartstrings as well. There were lots of emotional moments intermixed with all of the action that was constantly streaming through every page, which made me love the story even more. There is very little romance in the book but there was just enough to satisfy me and leave lots of room for more in future books. I loved all the characters and seriously can’t wait to be inside their heads again. The ending wrapped things up very nicely but it also left you wanting to know more about this world and the amazing characters that reside in it. I can honestly tell you that after reading this, Daughter of Dusk, has jumped to the very top of my most anticipated reads of 2015! This book was a total home run for me and I would highly recommend it to every young adult fantasy fan!

Notable Scene:

The stonework didn’t begin at ground level, but there was a ledge above the first floor. Using a nearby barrel as a step, she jumped and caught the ledge, pulling herself over. She stood for a moment, belly to the wall, probing it with her fingers. The rock would support her weight. She took a breath and dug her fingers into two of the deeper carvings. One foot went up next, and then she pushed herself up as she reached for a higher handhold. Soon, she had worked out a rhythm and climbed steadily up the side of the building.

Her spirits lifted as she climbed. This was what she could do, and do well. Kyra was aware of her audience and, after the day’s frustrations, couldn’t resist showing off a little. Her swings were higher than usual, and her final jump from the stonework to the window perhaps more dramatic than it needed to be. Finally, she hung from the window, her hands clinging to neighboring slots. With another breath, she pulled herself up and slipped an arm in. From there, it was a quick scramble to squeeze her head and torso through, and the rest of her body followed.

The bell tower was strangely peaceful. There was a platform where the bell was supposed to be, and everything was covered with a thick layer of dust. From there it was easy to find the stairs back down, and it was indeed about a quarter hour after she started when Kyra turned the bolt and opened the front door. She caught different expressions as the men passed by. Some regarded her with appreciation. Rand stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. More than one looked at her with fear in their eyes, and she caught Alex making a sign to ward off evil spirits. Bacchus’s gaze still wasn’t friendly, but it didn’t hold his usual sneer.

FTC Advisory: Disney-Hyperion provided me with a copy of Midnight Thief. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less

It took me several chapters (basically all of Part One) to truly connect with the story, writing, and characters of this novel. Part of that is due to the shifting first person point of view. The switches did not add much to the story, and at some points, took away in that it was more difficult to form a bond with the characters.

The plot was interesting enough, although the end was predictable. I found that I liked Zivah’s stay in the Rosemarked colony more than I did the spy/sleeper soldier aspect.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. Not my favorite, but still worth the read.

I received this book for free .I enjoyed the story. It's about a girl (when are stories not about a girl? lol) who works on all sides that are against each other. Supernatural things are thrown in and dang she does get hurt a lot it in it (just like Sookie Stackhouse :)). Nothing
surprised me in the book and I was okay with that. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

Okay so this book isn't bad, let's get that out of the way first. The writing is great, the main character is a tough, take care of herself kind of girl. Should have been right up my alley and instead it just felt like... Meh. I feel bad saying that when there wasn't anything wrong with the book but I just didn't care that much about the characters, nothing pulled me in and made me invested in the outcome :/

I really enjoyed this conclusion of the series. It was such a fast pace read. I grew to enjoy the characters and i loved where the story went. I also like how the story ended and i thought it ended in refreshing way. Overall solid story.

Wow this book took me forever to read (28 days!). On to greener pastures. This book perfectly represents why I don't care for sequels. Midnight Thief should have been a stand-alone novel in my opinion.

It all felt wooden and forced; I only stuck with it to watch Adele and Flick grow their relationship. I've never cared for the multiple terminologies for the same thing either. Makvani, demon rider, demon cat, felbeast, pick one and stick to it, stop making my head spin. I would be curious to read a spin off about the Female village chief who had a tryst with Leyus though.

A fascinating essay describing how our brains process reading and covering a wide variety of topics along the way. How do marks on a piece of paper turn into images in our minds? How did interpreting these marks become a man-made reflex? How does a story provide a lesson or moral? Do people get the same message from the same story? This is the sort of subject where all the answers give rise to more questions and this very readable book takes you through a lot of them in quite a short space, using the familiar story of Red Riding Hood to explain the parts of the process.

Highly, highly recommended!

This book can be intermediate or primary level because of the way it is written and the story. The story is of immigration and a girl is moving with her family from Vietnam to America. However, her Popo(grandmother) is not coming with them. They use facetime to talk, and she visits after adapting to living in America. The little girl learns a lot from her Popo, but she gets sick and passes away. The little girl still sees her in her dreams.

I really loved this read!! I thought this was a great sequel read. I loved how this book was some politicaly focsued and was focused less on the romance. It was not what i expected this book to be. But i loved seeing how this book made the character develop in the read!! I also loved seeing how mulan became a true hero in this read, but in such a diferent way then the previous book. It was such a great read and one that made me feel like i saw more of mulan story!

I really enjoyed this conclusion of the series. It was such a fast pace read. I grew to enjoy the characters and i loved where the story went. I also like how the story ended and i thought it ended in refreshing way. Overall solid story.

I loved the main character and the world building so much. I thought the plot was predicable at point but i loved the world building. hope to read the sequel soon.

I really loved this read!! I thought this was a great sequel read. I loved how this book was some politicaly focsued and was focused less on the romance. It was not what i expected this book to be. But i loved seeing how this book made the character develop in the read!! I also loved seeing how mulan became a true hero in this read, but in such a diferent way then the previous book. It was such a great read and one that made me feel like i saw more of mulan story!

I loved the main character and the world building so much. I thought the plot was predicable at point but i loved the world building. hope to read the sequel soon.

As you probably know, I’m not much for novellas, but I will read them if I can get them for free one way or another. In this case, I was actually offered a review copy ages ago but I was indecisive until it was too late to respond. Then I was getting ready to start Midnight Thief and my brain was all “what about that thing?” so I went to look it up on Amazon. Lo and behold, it was available for free, so away I went. All told, Poison Dance is very much a novella and not super heavy on the plot, but it was intriguing enough that I’m pretty excited for Midnight Thief now.

Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions.

This is a different take on the shape-shifter genre, and a fun mix with a little magic and poisoning thrown in to the assassin and intrigue. It will be interesting to see how the second book adds to the story.

Good first book. I thought the plot developed well and I loved the conflict the heroine found herself in as well as how she reacted to it.

I'll be looking for the next installment.

Blogged this here.

This is an e-book by my very talented writer buddy, Livia Blackburne. I was lucky enough to see early versions of this novella and was very excited to see how well the final version turned out. If you’re looking for a gritty, fast-paced fantasy story, or really if you’re just looking for something new to read, this is a great choice. This novella is a stand-alone prequel featuring James, a vital character in Livia’s upcoming YA book, Midnight Thief (Disney-Hyperion 2014). This book is slightly more adult fiction in tone than Midnight Thief (which I’ve also been lucky enough to read in early drafts :) ), but I think this is a perfect bridge for those adult SFF readers who don’t realize what they’re missing with YA literature.

I wish I could say more, but you’ll just have to read both the novella and Midnight Thief to find out how they intertwine. Can’t wait to read the final version of the novel!

PS–If you’re reading this review of Poison Dance show more after having already read the novel, then you’re already intrigued by James and this is your chance to find out more. show less

Daughter of Dusk is a good sequel to Midnight Thief, a story I thoroughly enjoyed reading. However, as much as I did like the first of Kyra's story, I cannot say the same for its sequel. Upon glancing at the Goodreads page, I also found that there will not be a book after, which I find extremely disappointing.

In my Midnight Thief review, I compared it to the Throne of Glass series, but in Daughter of Dusk, that vibe has gone, which I'm slightly thankful for. The story seemed bland, and the more I continued reading, the more holes I found, and the more questions came up unanswered.

Kyra finds a jarring revelation as to who her parents are, but the author doesn't do much to continue it except the few reminders and comparisons to Kyra's being. I really would have liked to know more or seen more... Would have liked to find out what actually happened to her mother. But alas, I've become disappointed and never found out, and her parents were a lot more interesting than the actual story... show more (More via website) show less

I must say that this book was just as good as the first one in the series. Of course, Kyra gets injured more just like the first one. There are a lot more secrets and surprises in this book and of course, I didn't see coming! I just love the story, the characters and how everything flowed. Nice happy ending.

Very good continuance from the first book. I was very happy with the turns that arose in this book and with the ending as well.

Midnight Thief is a great book from a debuting author like Ms. Blackburne. I have to admit, a lot of it kept reminding me of the Throne of Glass series mixed with werecats. Though it wasn't word by word, I kept thinking things much like "huh, this is like Throne of Glass," which kind of took away some of the originality.

I mean, both stories "star" a young woman, both become affiliated (though, in TOG, the MC was already well established into it) a corrupted type of assassin's guild. Eventually, they find out, fight back, and end up worse off than when they first started. They lose someone they love which further fuels their fire to fight against the new threat, their own guild tries to kill them when things don't work out, and they find a new piece of themselves in the process... (More via website)

teen fiction (dystopian fantasy / action-romance, book 1 of 2-book series, look for Umbertouched in 2018).
Author has background in neuroscience but has become successful writer instead. Complicated and lifelike characters make this better than your typical teen dystopian fiction.

Parental notes: no foul language (this world has its own swears, usually something like "Scars!" or "Goddess!"). There is a bit of drinking, and Zivah uses medicinal concoctions to relax her patients, but there isn't any recreational drug use. As far as romance, characters only go as far as kissing. There is violence but it's brief and not gorey.

(More like 1.5 stars)

There are few things I love more in this life than books about thieves. Give me a story about a pickpocket, burglar, con artist, or swindler, and I’m one happy girl. If that thief happens to be female, so much the better! I’m also a fan of fantasies, magic, assassins, honorable guards, and people who don’t trust each other learning to do just that. According to the synopsis, Midnight Thief has ALL THE THINGS, so I was positively itching to get my hands on a copy.

READ THE FULL REVIEW AT: http://www.shaelit.com/2014/07/review-midnight-thief-by-livia-blackburne/

Positive potential arranged marriage dynamics for the win!

I grew more attached to the characters than I expected I would at first. good book

having two cultures; Taiwan and US

Another wonderful book from author Livia Blackburne. :)

A book by my writing buddy. I critiqued the first drafts of this and loved seeing how this book came to life! Congrats, Livia!

Advance copy..

See my review on my website.