The beautiful cover caught my attention and the description sounded interesting.
In the beginning I had some troubles finding into the story as the vibe and direction of the story didn't match up with the expectations I had built up proir to reading it. After letting go of these expectations I was hooked. The story was easy to follow and the short chapters invite readers to turn the page and continue reading without taking a break. I read the last 70% of this book in one sitting straight and time flew by really fast.
Even though none of the characters were particularly likeable, they fit into the story and were interesting in what they did and how they acted in certain situations.
Finally, it reminded me of the Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier.
And I'm already looking to dive into Book 2!

this was a lot of different things all rolled in to one story but it worked.

this entire book reminded me of a fantasy/sci-fi version of the popular teen movies/shows from the late 90s early 2000s.

and while i normally absolutely hate: this is a cross between and than list either other books or movie/tv shows that most of the time don’t really compare all that much….

reading the characters behavior reminded me a LOT of Gossip Girl and it’s utterly otherworldly moments in that show.
that mixed with Alias maybe a sprinkle of Dark Angel? in the sense that it’s all a bit mysterious- not even the entire group that is supposed to work together really knows what’s going on, nobody really explains what’s going on or how this one unbelievable unrealistic thing can actually be happening. Also the action/adventure moments of going somewhere doing something dangerously secret and basically hoping that a bit of a pretty smile can get you through the worst if necessary -if not a fight is always a good option, right?!

so i guess i am saying if you enjoyed those shows and what i listed above reminded me off them? This book might be just as entertaining and fun for you as it was for me.

mostly this book consisted of well known if not a bit overused tropes in the YA media as a whole:

- the unpopular girl there overlooked by basically everyone suddenly gets discovered and learns she can do or is something special and finds this too good to be true guy that somehow actually seems be interested in her as well.

- the ones where the unpopular girl gets the attention for some reason of someone outside of her typical reach and the popular girl tries everything she can to sabotage and be hurtful without actually showing how close she is coming to becoming stepping over the line into becoming actually dangerous to those around her.

- the ones where the popular girl gets away with being awful, hurtful and even dangerous to others around her but everyone is too afraid to stand up to her at the chance that it will put them into her distractive path.


as i said for me this was just a fun book.
ridiculous, even stupid in some moments, but fun.


it was entertaining and fun, but had nice touches throughout that kept it interesting and the entire plot of time traveling teenagers to rob history to enrich a billionaire? come on! that’s just too entertaining to not enjoy simply because of its utter ridiculousness!

the writing style was easy to read, the chapters short (2-6 pages) making it easy to read a few more and fly through the book.

did i find the over the top descriptions of the “fashion” moments (where a 17/18 year old girl seems to always grab the silky short mini dress that hugs her just right and learns to walk in mile high heels just by her desire to be able to) a bit stupid and sometimes even skipped a few lines because i was just not interested in that?
yeah sure but i do think that there are YA readers that will love those moments because they can relate.

and in many ways who can’t relate to the dream of owning your dream wardrobe filled to the brim with every piece of clothing and accessories you ever dreamed of or could imagine? be that full of designer pieces or the most comfortable sweatshirts and pants you could dream up? do not even pretend that you never imagined in your younger years what it would be like to just be able to own your dream style in all the ways you ever imaged! so really the author just wrote the dream into a bookish reality!


i do wish that the petty girl-sabotage-girl moments wouldn’t have been as often and obvious and extreme or at least not without some form of repercussions for the saboteur. but again YA book and first in a series so clearly that couldn’t have been resolved as fast as i wish it did.

also it played a bit too hard on the “trust no one!” “everyone’s your enemy!” trope, especially for a group of people that do need to at least be able to trust that they are not just left stranded somewhere they can’t come back from and with every possibility of getting killed if they are left behind!

i did really enjoy the entire time travel elements and wish we would have gotten more of that and even the training of how they learned to fit into the time -what of the linguistic dialects of specific time periods that were never written down but would make you stand out? or specific small details in style that would make you stand out as a time traveler?
the book skipped a bit too much above or around those explanations.

and overall for a book that’s not small not a huge amount gets explained or solved to give even hints of answers. that was disappointing.
i do dislike books a bit that start to really build up their momentum just pages before it’s finished and than leave the reader hanging, waiting for the next book and hoping that one will provide all the answers and explanations.


all that sounds as if i didn’t enjoy this!

i did!

it was very fun! it was entertaining and had its funny moments, it’s ridiculously over the top moments, the cheesy romance scenes… it had all elements of a very entertaining read and i was in the right mood or just really enjoy this a lot.


but this book does have a lot of flaws and plot holes or just no real plot in some moments that are covered with jealous characters and their extreme behavior and sometimes a bit of snark.

and to stop myself from repeating myself more, let’s just end this with:
do you want something that just sweeps you up and makes you grin (and other because it’s fun or because it’s so utterly stupid)? give it a try!


do you want a full blown thought out time travel Sci-Fi that explains it all and everything makes sense and has a good realistic reason?
just skip this!
if you want fantastic plot that don’t write in a jealousy scene if the plot gets a bit too lacking, complicated or too tangled? don’t read this.

Read this if you want something that will be a fun read for you.
Not every book needs to be a literary master piece people!
the fun easy entertaining ones are often the best reads! this is one of those!
enjoy it for what it is and have fun with it!

“The best thing about the past is that we get to pick and choose the parts that suit us and discard all the rest.“

Stealing Infinity is a fun and fast modern YA fantasy about Natasha Clarke and her adventures when she is recruited into Gray Wolf Academy, an off-the-grid time traveling school. She is then absorbed into a glamorous world of secrets, beauty, art, and unimaginable riches. The chapters were short and events progressed quickly - I loved that about this book! Some parts were superficial and the romance was instalove - but I expected that going into this book and I still enjoyed it overall. It ended on a cliffhanger with a lot of questions unanswered, so I am definitely looking forward to the sequel. It was a cute, easy fantasy “beach read” that was much needed after my recent darker and heavier reads.

I also liked the numerology part in the beginning. I loved how eerily accurate my life path number (8) is. 😂

Huge thanks to @entangledteen for this ARC! 🥰

This is an interesting take on time travel, and a different sort of reason for traveling through time. I picked up not for that, however, but because the synopsis placed the story at a school - which it is, but that part is glossed over, and readers never see the classes; it could just as easily be a remote town where all the residents share an activity in common. So if you’re looking for a novel about a magical school; this really isn’t it. It’s still a good story, it just wasn’t even close to what I was expecting when I chose to read it - and that’s okay.

Natasha is an interesting character, a teen whose father abandoned her and her mother, following which Natasha let her life slide downhill, from a popular, high-achieving student in ninth grade to a nearly-invisible, close-to-failing student in twelfth grade. Her mother is painted as a woman who fell apart and left her teenage daughter to pick up the slack when her father disappeared, and while I’m sure that happens, it’s a rather bleak picture of what could be, when there are so many other ways to portray a woman whose husband leaves without a trace. The portrayal of parents in general in this novel is rather bleak as well.

Every character has secrets, many of which do not come to fruition in this volume, clearly waiting for the next, which is rather frustrating. Because many of the characters are high school age, there’s a lot of social intrigue, which is well done for those who like that kind of drama.

I have no problem with novels that start a new problem at the very end to set up the next volume, but this reads more like only half the book has been written, which is unsatisfying. Despite these issues, this is an interesting premise for a novel, which is why it garnered a 4; otherwise, its treatment of characters as set pieces would have knocked it down to a 3.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The quick cut: A teen girl gets kicked out of school and recruited for a boarding school that seemingly doesn't exist. It's true nature is something beyond her wildest dreams.

A real review:
Thank you to Entangled: Teen for providing the arc for an honest review.

Many people go to a local school and get the standard education, but can you imagine if there were more options than that? What if boarding schools existed for other types of opportunities, likes ones that exist in sci-fi novels? This is the opportunity presented for Natasha.

Natasha's life fell apart in spectacular fashion and has never come back together again. Her father left, her mom broke apart at the seams, and now Natasha's after school job pays for the bills. When Natasha ends up getting kicked out of school for a robbery she didn't commit, it feels like things are going from bad to worse - until a mystery benefactor bails her out and gives her an opportunity at a boarding school called Gray Wolf Academy. Is it the solution to her problems? Or the beginning of new ones?

There's been a lot of young adult boarding school books recently, but when the ARC for this one came - the description intrigued me. What happened is me quickly getting addicted to a story, with me dying to read the sequel as soon as possible! Considering that the book is nearly 500 pages, that's a true rarity for me.

Natasha is going through so much trauma that is outside of her control and the Gray Wolf offer comes at exactly the right time to bail her out. It feels like an offer too perfect and she quickly questions it. She's smart, articulate, and more talented than she admits. It makes her extremely likeable and makes you want to see her win.

This story is a combination of action, historical, romance, and science fiction in the best way. The author has an astounding talent for blending genres in a believable way, with the world building balanced with the character development. It makes me want to read the sequel, even if it is longer than this one! And I typically loathe books over 400 pages.

A unique boarding school story that will leave you hooked.

My rating: 5 out of 5

This was a tough one to get through. Way too much information thrown at me in the beginning. It was very slow paced. And the detailed information got boring very quickly (like hair and clothing). It was hard for me to know the plot of the story. Seemed very young YA. However the cover was very pretty.

Natasha Clarke knows she should listen to her friend Mason's warning about beautiful, impulsive Elodie but she can't help herself. When one of their little trips to a club turns into something she doesn't expect, Nat finds herself at Gray Wolf Academy which has a mysterious purpose. One that hints back to her father's teachings. Only here does she find out that time can indeed be visited and her place there might be more sinister than she wants.

What worked: Intriguing romp through time where clues and mysteries are everywhere. This is a fast-paced, totally engaging thriller. It reminded me of a rogue teen group Timeless, only here the main person behind going back in time or 'tripping' isn't totally truthful.

Elodie is that frenemy. Someone who has an ultimate plan behind her smiles. I wanted to shout at Nat to not trust her many times. Readers though don't know what she really plans to do with Nat. Throughout it all Nat is strong, persistent, and refuses to be brow beaten. She also has her own paranormal ability that she fears sharing with others at Gray Wolf Academy.

Braxton is that cute guy that Nat slowly falls for, but not without questioning his true purpose on why he was so intent on her coming to Gray Wolf Academy. Braxton, along with others at the school, have their own secrets.

Mysteries, suspense, and romance are all tied up in a world where the sole purpose of Gray Wolf Academy is much more than collecting jewelry and art from the past. There's a plan behind all of it and Nat slowly tries to make sense of it all.

Da Vinci Code meets Timeless with a crew of teens out to steal pieces from time. The cliffhanging ending had me have so many questions that I hope are answered in the second book. Once again Noel has a winner story!

Originially posted at: https://www.yabookscentral.com/stealing-infinity-stealing-infinity-1/

Didn't care for this. I think I've said in previous reviews that I can't believe the content that is in YA books these days. Might as well read adult novels...
Besides the content, the characters were not likeable. Kind of similar to The Cruel Prince...In my opinion.
By the description I think this book had a lot of potential, but it didn't follow through for me. The world building/concept of the book was a bit vague at times and not at all as advertised.

Anyways. Not for me.
1 star
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Alyson Noël has delivered another unique, gripping tale in her latest release, Stealing Infinity. Following the life of a troubled high schooler, readers join her on a mysterious and dangerous journey as she is taken to a remote, off-the-grid school and uncovers a special gift that might be her only chance for redemption. Along the way, she is helped and hindered by an array of peculiar and mysterious characters, most notably a beautiful and oddly anachronistic figure named Braxton. Noël is at her best in her exploration of an interesting power and the life lessons that can be learned through the pursuit of this special talent. This thought-provoking, edgy novel is an excellent choice for any reader looking for a thrilling journey full of heartache and hope.

Stealing Infinity is book 1 in the Stolen Beauty by Alyson Noël.
This is a phenomenal modern fantasy story.
Alyson Noel is a talented writer and it shows during this read.
A compelling supernatural romance thriller.
I was thoroughly impressed by the author’s beautiful writing and the effort she put in crafting a vivid and detailed world for the story.
A remarkably stunning new fantasy that was fun, amazing and such a whirlwind book.
With adventure, forbidden love and mystery this was a bombshell.
And I can’t wait to start book two Ruling Destiny.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Entangled Teen for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

"The Gray Wolf is the penultimate stage in the making of the philosopher's stone."
"So... this is a school for alchemy?"
"In a way..."

I hate to say this, since I love Alyson Noël's work and have read a lot of her books, but this one really disappointed me. The potential is there for an incredible story, steeped in science, archeology and history, but so much of the book was spent on the setup, the world and how it works, and a romance that felt false and a bit forced, that when the real story starts - the Tripping - I all but lost interest. If the nonsense is removed and the romance took a second book approach (as in the characters actually get time to get to know each other), this would have been a shorter, and much more impactful book. I will definitely read the sequel, since the second half and the ending was spectacular, but I'm hoping there will be more of a focus on the Tripping, while the romance drama compliments the main plot... Fingers crossed!

Rating: 2 / 5 stars

I knew I should have stopped as soon as I saw the love interest's name was Braxton.

Stealing Infinity is the first book in a series following Natasha, a high school girl who has suffered from an absentee mother, chronic behavior problems resulting in school suspensions and expulsions and arrests, and bullying at school. After her latest excursion, she is recruited by a mysterious, off-the-grid school called the Gray Wolf Academy as a sort of last chance to redeem herself and make something out of herself. What she doesn't know is that Gray Wolf is actually an Academy full of students with special powers that allows for them to time travel, with the assistance of machinery and professors at Gray Wolf who train them. With nothing left to lose, Natasha leaves her old life behind and enrolls at Gray Wolf, learning how to travel through time and steal priceless artifacts for the head of the Academy in order to "protect the art" - and of course, she falls in love along the way.

The pacing was rough. The author frequently cuts chapters short, but then the next chapter starts literally seconds later in the scene, which is an editorial choice I will never understand. But then on top of that, the plot just absolutely dragged until the very end, which was the only redeeming part of probably the entire story. There is a lot of flipping back and forth between scenes that felt clunky and it felt like the timeline could have been streamed more efficiently. The plot is not aided by the fact that Noel's writing is just very immature, with conversations that felt too forceful and pointed, and subplots that didn't quite make rational sense. While some of the details and worldbuilding are actually enticing - like the time travel and inclusion of tarot cards (which Natasha is somehow inexplicably an *expert* in) - it is the only thing that slightly buoyed this otherwise sinking story.

But perhaps the biggest issue was the characters. Our main character, Natasha, of course comes from a broken home and so therefore is looking for some place that is better than her current life - so I'm sure that's why an academy full of literal psychopaths sounds like a better option for her. The fact that they bully her so heavily and by the end of the book she is insinuating that they are her family now despite the fact that only one of them has really treated her with any true warmth is boggling to me. However, the #1 thing that annoyed me about Natasha (and the way she was written) was the way that she was *so into fashion* and literally detailed every outfit she wore throughout the entire book, name-dropping designers on every item. Like... what? She is supposed to be like 15/16 and grew up in an impoverished home, so I'm not sure how she's even aware of how to recognize a Chanel design by glance alone, but also it was SO unnecessary to the plot and felt like a fanfiction about Gossip Girl characters.

Besides Natasha, everyone else is also unlikable - truly. It's kind of astounding how there is not one character that I enjoyed. Everyone in the academy genuinely seems like they're suffering from multiple personality disorder, as they all frequently turn on a dime to being nice and conversational, to insanely judgemental and borderline abusive. It's giving Umbrella Academy vibes in a way, with an overlord abusing children with certain powers for his own use, but without any of the humor or camaraderie that makes that series so excellent. And don't even get me started on her love interest, Braxton, who of course is *so beautiful* and *into art* and *has a tragic past* and *is a few years older than her so is more mature and kinda creepy but not creepy enough to be alarming* - and they fall so deeply in love, so quickly, somehow, even though they both have the personalities of wooden spoons.

Overall, this one really disappointed me. It had an amazing premise, but juvenile writing and relatively unlikable characters failed to make it worth my time.

Getting to read something new drom Alyson Noel was a blast from the past I didn’t know I needed. Will always be a fan of her work!

This book was great! An excellent fantasy read. 3.5 stars rounded up. I'll definitely be checking out more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, LLC/Entangled Teen, and Alyson Noel for an e-arc of Stealing Infinity in exchange for an honest review.

The pace was a little slower in the beginning than I would have liked and there was a little too much focus on what designer clothes the characters were going to wear, but overall, I still really enjoyed this. I liked the premise and the way that time travel works and seeing some historical events play out through the eyes of today’s youth.

There are a lot of unanswered questions at the end of the first book, so I am definitely picking up the next book when it comes out.

I love time travel stories and Alyson Noel does a great job with Natasha's story in Stealing Infinity. She gives just enough clues to make the reader think is this a family thing where they can time travel. Then there is Gray Wolf Academy. Do these kids have what it takes to time travel or has Tech giant Arthur Blackstone created a way to have people travel in time. And why kids and why are they bringing things back with them. There are so many unanswered questions, so many mysteries and so much I want to know about the different characters. I can't wait to read book 2.

I do feel somewhat bad about not reading this book since the publisher did grant my wish to read but mostly likely I was in a “everything looks great” requesting binge. Nowadays it is very rare for me to read young adult titles and if I want a sci-fi book, most likely it will be an adult novel.

Representation: a couple queer supporting characters, a couple BIPOC, but not much diversity overall

Nat is struggling a bit at her school, after her dad disappeared and the responsibility of keeping the family going falls to her while her mom becomes withdrawn. She gets kidnapped and taken to this prestigious academy on a remote island because they see something in her, some gift. As she learns more about Gray Wolf Academy, she discovers what they really do there. Wild adventures and mysterious agendas abound.

Rating: 3/5 The cover is just gorgeous, and I love the concept of this book. Big spoilers! Jump to this time if you don’t want them. This academy trains their students to time travel into the past, steal various things, and sometimes specific things for their benefactor’s agenda. The concept is great, but the execution had me somewhat disappointed. I wanted more of the actual time travel, more of the political machinations, less of clothing and typical teen drama. This is YA, so I expect some teen drama, but it felt like it was a lot in this, especially from people who are assumed/expected to be part of an elite. It’s fine, and I’ll probably read the next book, because there are still a lot of questions and unfinished threads, but I wouldn’t recommend it right away.

This book was really interesting! I was intrigued by the storyline and that's what initially drew me to this title. I also really love the cover artwork.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal review. This book had me intrigued with magic and time travel, however, it seemed to provide more teen angst than it did the time travel (although it is a YA novel to be fair). There is romance for the romantics out there, with the main protagonist Nat crushing over the secretive Braxton. She is also framed for theft, extorted and attends an academy where they learn things like sword fighting. She has to learn who she can trust, if anyone, her new environment. An interesting read, but I am hoping the follow up story is even better.