A wonderful new entry into a much loved world. For those that have loved Pearson's other works, this one will be no different. It has all the elements of the past novels, with a much welcomed new maturity that both loyal and new readers will appreciate. The obvious comparison is to Six of Crows, and while both have some overlapping ideas and plots, there is not much else in common. This novel stands on its own and it was SO MUCH FUN.

I am so confused by that ending but I can't wait to see what it all means in the next book!

I haven't read The Remnant Chronicles but I am not a fan of the Jenna Fox books, so I was a little bit leery going into this one. Although this story has an extremely predictable plot, except for that dang ending) I really enjoyed this book. You don't know until the end just who is playing who in this action-packed story filled with conspiracies, double-dealing, and betrayal. The author does an excellent job of world-building and I loved Jase and Kazi's loyalty to their perspective kingdoms and each other. Overall, this was an intriguing read and I can't wait to see what that baffling cliffhanger leads to in the next book.

Mary Pearson is one of my top favorite authors so I had a pretty high expectation for this one... and it didn't disappoint! This book was amazing! The plot, the characters, the pacing, the writing style, were all superb! I highly recommend it!

Everything I wanted! Everything I needed! I appreciated that although I have read the companion book trilogy to this, it's not a necessity to have done so. New readers of this author will love this just as much as familiar fans will.

I now hate ARC's. How can I possibly wait this long for book 2? Although this is set in an existing world from a previous Trilogy it is not necessary to read those first.

4.5

And the award for most underrated ya writer goes to ... Mary E. Pearson, again! If there's one thing I don't get about the Goodreads and Book community in general is why everyone is sitting on this amazing author and her series. Seriously, pick these book up!

The plot

"Get him and get out. That was our task, and that was it. I told them that we also had the bad timing of being plummeted into the middle of a power war spawned by Karsen Ballenger's death."

Our protagonist, Kazi, has been sent by the one and only queen of Venda, Lia (still one of the best ya protagonists out there) to find General Illarium, who we already know (he's the one who betrayed Lia's family and caused the death of her father and brother). Rumor has it he's in Hell's mouth, a city that's supposed to be under Venda's jurisdiction, but that's actually under the control of the Ballenger family.
The Ballengers have been fighting for eyes to be recognised as the first kingdom (because they actually are) but they've never been able to and now is a particularly bad time because the last Patrei (the ruler) has just died. Jase, our second protagonist, has just become the new Patrei.
A few chapters in, Kazi and Jase find themselves shackled (literally) at the ankles, lol.

The protagonists

"I like you, Jase Ballenger. I think if you weren't a thief, we might be friends."
"And if you didn't whisk out knives and threaten to cut pretty necks, I think we might be friends, too."
"Oh, how obsessed you are with your pretty neck."

Kazi: she's my favorite. She's a Vendan orphan (now 17) who's had a really tough childhood where she became an incredibly skilled thief. She lived during the Komizai's rule, when thief lost fingers when they were caught. Kazi earned the nickname Ten because she still had all of them. Lia found her and made her part of her personal guards, a Rathva. She's sassy and strong but also sweet and silly and I loved her friendship with her fellow Rathvas Wren and Synové.

Jase: I definitely prefer Kazi but he's good, too. He's 19 and he's the new Patrei, his family means everything to him and even if the Ballegers are a people of thieves that don't follow the other kingdoms's laws, he's a decent person who can clearly see the difference between good and bad.

The romance

"This was more than just making the best of it, this was something taking root, a seed being planted."

I'm gonna be honest, this is a romance-heavy book. That's not a problem for me because I love romance, but some people may find it a bit too much sometimes.
And I also know that many are going to say it's instalove-y. I personally don't think so, tho. It's true, there's some immediate attraction but they are in an impossible situation (literally shackled together) so they have to cooperate to survive and not go completely crazy. I found their relationship believable and sweet, the book isn't about the will they won't they, it's about them knowing they have feeling for each other but not trusting the other, and slowly trying to right that lack of trust.

The ending

I swear all was going perfectly and then the last two page happened. Mary E. Pearson is evil.

As a fan of Mary Pearson, I had high hopes for this novel. It did not let me down. The Remnant Chronicles is one of my favorite series & I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for the books that follow in this series.

Took me a few pages to get back into the Remnant Chronicles world then I was fully immersed. Another book that was hard to put down from Mary Pearson. Lots of action, plot twists and a great romance. Everything I love in a book! Ready for the next book NOW! (Please :))

Mary Pearson, you have done it again with this beautiful, soul-destroying book! If you didn’t already know, Dance of Thieves takes place in the same world as the Remnant Chronicles and it feels so wonderful to be back! You do not necessarily need to read the Remnant chronicles before reading Dance of Thieves but I would suggest you do because of all the fun easter eggs and characters we see again!

We meet our first main character, Kazimyrah of Brightmist, while she is preparing for a mission with her fellow Rahtan (the Queen’s elite guard). She is a character that I was automatically drawn to and knew I would love right away. She’s smart, quick, witty and full of secrets. And then we meet our second main character (and our second POV), Jase Ballenger, who has just become Patrei (essentially the leader/king of Tor’s Watch) after his father’s passing. Jase took a little more warming up for me and by a little more I mean like 2 chapters. The story really draws you in (and doesn’t let go) when Kazi and Jase get kidnapped together by labor hunters and we follow them as they escape and have to travel back to civilization. The journey is not one I’m going to spoil for you but it is one I want to constantly re-read over and over again!

Besides our main characters we have a whole lot of side characters that are just as engaging! One of my favorites are the Ballenger family who are so protective and supportive of each other. They are what comes to mind when I think family, minus the bloodshed and running an illegal country of course. Then we have Synove and Wren who are Kazi’s fellow Rahtan and partners in her mission. They each have their own little personalities and back histories that we learn more about throughout the book.

But my favorite part about being back in this world is Mary’s world building. Not only does she capture the beauty and details we saw in the original Remnant Chronicles but now we get to see a whole new unexplored area. Tor’s Watch and Hell’s Mouth are described in such details I sometimes forgot I wasn’t there besides Kazi or Jase. Honestly, there were times where I wished I could be there besides them! We also learn a lot more about the history of the Remnant world via Jase’s family who claim to be the first country. It was so interesting learning more about the world after the stars fell. I also love that Mary continued with giving us snippets of a history like we saw in the Remnant Chronicles. Through these pieces of history we learn about the first Ballenger’s and what they went through in the first days and how they settled in Tor’s Watch. Mary combines all these pieces together to continually draw the reader further and further into the story until you do not want to stop or focus on anything but finishing this masterpiece! But in true Mary style she leaves the very best for last. I have so many unanswered questions and theories that are running through my head right now. But I know for certain that I cannot wait until book 2 and to be back in the Remnant world once again! I cannot recommend this book enough especially to fans of Pearson’s previous books!

Oh wow! I didn't know this book was going to have the same world and characters as the remnant chronicles. Loved that! Author did a superior job in character development of jade and kazi. Loved both of them and the supporting characters especially the ones from past books like Eben. Well written and paced. Definitely will read more by this author.

I loved the original Remnants trilogy, and when I heard that another book in that world was coming out, I was beyond exciting. Jase and Kazi were both well-developed and interesting. Usually, one of my biggest pet peeves is when all problems can be traced back to characters' refusal to have a conversation with one another. Granted Jase and Kazi had secrets from each other, but they had valid reasons for it. Then the last page blew my mind- I can't wait for more!

I absolutely love Mary's writing. Just like with the Kiss of Deception, Dance of Thieves sucked me right in from the get go! Also if you read the last trilogy, there is a glimpse of a few of the people from it! So I was fangirling about that!!

My favorite aspect of this book was the bond between Kazi and Jase—they were a bucket full of cuteness. Or course being on opposite sides of things caused disagreement and secrets, but it made the story more addicting. Kazi made me frustrated at times, but I understood how she worked because of the way she grew up. However, I also loved her for how she was. Although, Jase was my favorite!

The side characters were great and the world building was excellent. I seriously can't wait to read the next book and see what happens. I can already tell some serious stuff is going to go down!

Great storytelling and character development. Kazi's backstory is heartbreaking and Jase's growth is great. Kazi and Jase make a really good couple. It was nice to see Lia and Rafe and Eben. The supporting cast had unique and interesting voices. This book was a bit too long as it dragged a bit in the middle but overall, I really enjoyed it and I enjoy Pearson's stories.

I was so pleased to see another book set in the world of the Remnant Chronicles. Her writing style and gift for subtlety guiding the plot continues to amaze. Keep them coming!

Mary E. Pearson brings us back into the realm of The Remnant Chronicles, and it feels like a warm homecoming to a place we never truly left in our minds, and surely not our hearts. She truly makes storytelling into an art form in this book, as the pacing, story, setting, and everything in between completely reeled me in from start to finish and I was dreading arriving at the end of it because I wanted it to continue on. The newcomers are strong, unique characters who all have their own charm and secrets - there are also many familiar faces that made me cheer to myself as a sense of nostalgia swept over me. This book was truly a joy to read, and is a welcome addition to TRC series.