Although being initially confused by this book (it seemed like a Cinderella retelling in the beginning), I really loved this story. Although this review is really of just the first book, it is worth noting that the mark of a good book makes you desperate to read the next book, and I have read the first three books in this broader world/series.

What I liked:
--The world-building. The author has a fairly complex fairy tale world full of different kingdoms and people. We are exposed to many of these peoples and worlds in the first book, with other people and worlds being introduced in subsequent books (and likely subsequent spin off tales).
--The people. Once I reread the intro and realized that the author is going to retell several tales, I started trying to imagine how each of the characters introduced in the first book will fit into other tales. Some are pretty easy to peg, others aren't.
--The story. I don't think that the Aladdin story is common for retellings, so that was fun and fresh. And, throughout the series, the author brings in some fun twists, some that are tied up in this series and some that I suspect will be tied up later.
--The end. No spoilers, but by the end of the third book I was satisfied. I thought it was really well done.

I suspect that some people will criticize this book for being too much like The Selection Series, and there were a few times that I felt that as well. But overall, the parts that overlapped weren't that distracting, and the unique worldbuilding and the author's broader vision made her book stand on its own. Well done!

Thanks Netgalley for a free eARC

There were two reason why I selected the “Thief of Cahraman”. The first was the stunning cover and the second being the blurb that captivated me.

I am no stranger to a retelling of a story, and with this I set to read. At first I found it difficult to relate to the story due to:
1. Different names of characters and
2. The roles reversal

However once pushing these thoughts to one side, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was captivating.

To Lucy Tempest... where has this book been all my life?! I enjoyed the book so much I already got the second and can’t wait for the next in the series (5 in total - 4 published books and 1 on its way). Eep!

With that said, what a lovely book. Not only was the story amazing unto itself, all the characters are unique, have strong personalities and are lovable in their own way.

Adelaide, once a thief, has found a new family, Bonnie and Bonnie’s father, in a town she believed her mother came from.

One evening the three of them are transported to an unknown faraway world by a witch named Nariman. To save her family she must find a golden lamp that is within the Sunstone Palace. Unknowingly she has also been entered as a noble woman in the search for Cahraman’s future queen, and the hand of Prince.

In her search she befriends Cyrus - a servant at the palace and a thief. Before she is able to ask him to run away with her, he reveals that he is in fact the Prince.

** I received a copy of “Thief of Cahraman” the first book in the Fairytales of Folkshore by Lucy Tempest via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#ThiefOfCahraman #NetGalley

Because I love fairy tales and adaptions of them, I was looking forward to reading "Thief of Cahraman". The description claims that it is a fusion of Aladdin and "Selection" and since I had just read the first book of this series, I was curious to see how the author would bring together both stories. The inspiration is obvious right from the start; the protagonist is a thief who is tasked with stealing a mysterious golden lamp and the Selection of the future wife of the prince is very important as well. But despite these parallels, Tempest has created her own tale and it was very gripping.

The beginning was a bit slow, but as soon as Adelaide’s adventure really started, the book was engrossing and I did not want to put it down. Neither the protagonist nor the reader know what is going on and it was exciting to find it out together alongside the characters - even though this book doesn’t answer every question. I have to say that the big twist seemed to be pretty obvious to me and I guessed it early on, but this only made me enjoy the little hints and allusions to it. The author also did a great job with portraying the characters’ reactions to the twist and discovering how the puzzle pieces fit together was nice. I also liked the last few chapters; they created a few hooks for the next book and because of that, I really wanted to continue reading

The love story between Adelaide and Cyrus was also enjoyable, even though it stayed in the background most of the time. Both characters are very likeable and it was obvious that they had a lot in common. Tempest was able to show that they would make a great couple, but at the same time there are real obstacles for a romance between them and I can’t wait to see what will happen next - the events at the end of the book open up a lot of potential for the next instalment of the series.

In an introduction at the beginning of the book, the author explains that she plans to take inspiration from different fairy tales and this book already contains some clues as to who the protagonists could be which made me excited for the rest of the series. I also can’t wait to finish the adaption of Aladdin. I would give "Thief of Cahraman" itself 4 stars; the book was very engaging and I did not want to put it down. In addition, I liked the characterisation of the different persons and how Tempest took the elements o known stories and created her own plot.

Thief of Cahraman was an engaging read for sure. I loved the gender swap and the various Easter eggs related to other fairy tales in the book ("Fairytales of Folkshore" is a series with interconnected fairytale retellings). As Thief of Cahraman ended with a proper cliffhanger, I'm now very eager to read the next book in this specific trilogy.

“Thief of Cahraman: A Retelling of Aladdin” was recommended to me and I had to see what it was about. I absolutely love retellings. When I read the blurb, it said it was “Selection” meets “Aladdin” and of course my interest was piqued!
I have to admit I wasn’t sure that I was going to love it but I did! I love how the author took this story and made it her own. Of course, there were some things that were predictable. The plot/ synopsis is one that reveals a bit too much. `Even with all this said, this book was a fun read that I enjoyed reading. I will be sure to check out the rest of this series in the future!

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First off this is not my usual genre but I chose this book as it's a retelling of a fairytale (Aladdin) and it fit one of my PopSugar Challenge needs.

I thought the book had a bit of a slow start and the development of the worlds needed some more work but the overall story captured my attention. I did find myself enjoying it more about half way through the book. I liked how there seemed to be sort of 2 story lines going at the same time- the Princess Selection, and the heist. I look forward to reading the second and third books. I'd like to know how this all fits together.

I think the modern re-telling of classic fairytales is cute and fun to read.

A retelling of Aladdin, gender swap, portal fantasy, fairytale word with all the characters that got us dreaming during our childhood. Do I need to tell more? A competition to become the new Queen and a missing lamp.
I really think this book is a brilliant idea, I loved reading it wondering which character was who! The writing style is quick and simple, with a little bit of wit from the main character that never gets old. I think that a double pov would have work better, but this didn't disappoint.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way, and the thoughts expressed are my own.
A new telling of Aladdin sees our street-rat thief a girl while the princess is now a prince. Ada, an orphan, has run from one town to the next, never getting attached until she discovers she has family at the small village at the edge of the known continent. Now living with her cousins, Bonnie and her father, Mr Fairborn, Ada has finally found somewhere she can settle down. If only she could stop her thieving ways.
But a strange, beautiful woman appears and kidnaps Ada, Bonnie and Mr Fairborn. Ada wakes up alone, in a foreign land full of magic and odd creatures. The woman has dumped Bonnie and her father in the lair of a fearsome beast and threatens to stop her magic that is keeping it at bay, unless Ada retrieves a golden oil lamp from the King’s castle, Sunstone. Little did she know the only way to get into the castle is to enter the contest to be the princes’ bride.
Now forced to take part in a competition full of young noblewoman and tests from everything from table manners to social etiquette to displays of talent. With the heightened security Ada has no chance at sneaking out and searching the castle until she meets two new friends. Cyrus is a handsome servant boy with a talent for thieving, while his friend Ayman manages to help sneak him into every room. While during the day she tries her hardest to pretend to fit in, at night Ada searches for the lamp with the help of her new friends.
Luckily for Ada, she befriends two of her fellow contestants; Cora and Cherine. Cherine is a high-bred noblewoman, a cousin to the royal family. Her high rank amongst the other nobles – with only two girls higher than her – makes her arrogant, entitled and very confident. She looks down her nose at everyone, especially those from the lesser families and lower classes. Add to this the fact that she is extremely chatty, and she becomes someone few people can stand. On the other end of the spectrum is Cora, a practical girl from a farming region who is more than happy to get her hands dirty doing chores or wrestling a wolf away from her flock. These two couldn’t have been more different and though they snipe and argue they end up becoming Ada’s two closest friends in the competition.
On her first night in the castle, Ada convinces one of the judges to show her the vault so she can place her jewels somewhere safe. But the vault is already open, and two figures dash out, a handsome boy and a frightening white figure. Ada knows that these two, no matter how strange looking, are her only chance of getting around the heightened security.
Ada and Cyrus are both sarcastic and quick to steal, making them an ideal pair. From their first moment, it’s clear they are drawn to each other, their smirks and quips helping to fuel their flirting. Throughout the book the two grow closer, and we get to see how much Ada longs to have someone to open her heart to. After everything she’s been through it’s nice to see her have someone. She hopes that after the competition, after she rescues Bonnie and Mr Fairborn, Cyrus will run away with her. And it can be just the two of them.
Ayman is an albino with supernatural agility and strength. But his strange appearance has cursed him to be treated as a monster, meaning he must hide to survive, Cyrus his only friend. In the beginning, Cherine wakes up screaming, claiming she saw a ghoul, the description the exact same as the odd man Ada saw coming out of the vault. Later, after Ada has befriended Ayman, she discovers that nearly every night he comes to look in on Cherine and it’s clear he is drawn to her. He was an interesting character, cursed with a life full of hardship and only longs to have a friend.
Fairuza, the competition’s resident mean-girl is truly arrogant and horrible, looking down at everyone even her fellow high-ranking nobles like Cherine. A common character trope but to be realistically expected when you take into consideration her background.
I’d hope due to the early chapters we’d see more of Ada’s daring robberies, but apart from that a few scenes, this book was focused on the romance between Ada and Cyrus. I don’t mind romance as an element to enhance the main story - after all, love is such a massive part of the world - but this book was a complete romance with a few other elements. Though the twist was clear from the beginning, I feel it worked well for the story. I was disappointed that there wasn’t a risky robbery in the climax like I had anticipated and that the main point of the competition wasn’t finished in this book. This story seemed like it could have been wrapped in one book, maybe two if you pushed it, but not the three that it is set to be. It comes off as one of those time where everyone is trying to do trilogies.
I didn’t enjoy this book since it was mostly romance, but that also makes me not the right audience. Additionally, I have found that I don’t enjoy retellings much – maybe because you already know what will happen or you can at least make an incredibly accurate guess when you have become familiar with the characters and plot. I give it 3/5.

This was one of those books that I wasn't too sure about going into - retellings can either been done really well or go really wrong after all but Aladdin isn't THAT common a retelling so I'm glad I got to read it.
It was a little slow to get going but once it did, I loved it.
I loved the characters, the vivid setting and of course the plot.
Cannot wait to get the next book (I don't know what I didn't register it was the first of trilogy when I first went in, now I have to wait) but cannot wait to see where it goes next!

This was a bad idea. Terrible.
And since it was, I, of course, crawled in after him.

Thief of Cahraman.

I'm going to be honest with you, I didn't expect much of Thief of Cahraman. I've read a bunch of YA fairy tale retellings and most have been mediocre at best. I've watched countless of times how "strong" and "focused" heroines got reduced to lovesick damsels in distress as soon as the love interest is introduced. I've watched how thiefs and orphans and poor girls were thrown into high society and excelling at everything they did.

Now imagine how surprised I was when Adelaide was nothing of that. Yes, she excelled at all trials, but not because she was good at pretending to be a royal, but because she knew how to do useful things. And even though she eventually met her love interest, she was never deterred from her goal. She daydreamt about her future with him, but always thought about getting that lamp first. Very impressed, I must say.

What threw me off a little was, that seemingly every character had blue, grey or green eyes? Everyone important at least. I accepted it in that country I dubbed Eureca in my head because I misread it like 50 times, since it was a northern country.
But we later go to a desert country, and still, so many people were described with light eyes? I call bullshit.

Nonetheless, I was very positively surprised by Thief of Cahraman. And if I weren't vehemently avoiding buying stuff off of amazon, I'd definitely buy, like, everything Tempest wrote or will write in the future that is set in this universe.
Definitely recommending this to everyone asking me about retellings tho.


Thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing this ARC!

I had super high hopes for this. I love fairytale retellings and I loved THE SELECTION. But this book got off to such a slow start that I almost bailed. By the 60% mark, I started to get really into it and began racing to the end. I would have preferred some more consistent pacing and the nods to other fairytales to come in this series felt a bit forced. Some of the writing felt a bit weak and I will still recommend THE SELECTION over this, but I might seek out the other two books in this Aladdin series, so it’s a solid 3.5 stars for me.

The Thief of Cahraman was a very entertaining and well-written book. I've always loved reading fairytale retellings and this story did a great job of retelling the classic Disney version of Aladdin, with it's own twist- "Aladdin" is a girl! Ada, this stories Aladdin character, is a struggling thief that just wants to find her happy ending and not have to steal to survive anymore. When her best friend and her father are abducted, she has no choice but to follow a sorcerer's plan to get back her lost lamp in exchange for her friends lives. Thrust into a new land as an important lady in a competition to win the prince's hand, Ada must blend in while searching for this lamp, with no direction of how to find it. Enter Cyrus, a handsome servant boy with a few secrets of his own, and his trusted friend Ayman who may or may not be a ghoul. With their help she is able to search for the lamp in her very limited down time, meanwhile making friends with a few of the other ladies there for the competition. Out of 50 candidates, who will win the chance to meet this prince they are all fighting over, and who will he choose as his bride? Well you'll have to wait for the next book to find that out!

I went in to this book not realizing it was a series, so I was very confused when I saw on my Kindle that I was almost done and so many things had not yet happened. I'm very excited to have more time in Cahraman and with Ada and her friends, but I'm not sure how there is enough material for 2 more books. This story is like a mix of Aladdin and The Selection, and where The Selection drags out the process of eliminating the competition, The Thief of Cahraman does not. By the time you end this book there are only 5 girls left, and the prince has been revealed. I'm not sure how Lucy Tempest can stretch that sort of a time frame into 2 more books, but I'm willing to give it a shot and find out. If you enjoy fairytale retellings I would highly recommend you pick this one up! Lucy Tempest sets the stage for at least one, if not more, other fairytales she's telling in this world in this book, and it made me very excited to continue reading her stories to find out more! I will definitely be getting the next book in this series, and even continuing beyond that one!

Thief of Cahraman is the first book in the Fairtytales of Folkshore series. Its was the first book by Lucy Tempest that I was reading and I wasn't dissapointed. I really love fairy tales retelling.

This one is based on Aladdin genderswap retelling and is mixed with The selection. Its was a bit slow at the beginning but was dragged in the story once the competions start. Tough it was a bit obvious who the prince was I really enjoyed this book and will sure be reading the rest of this serie.

Wow! Really enjoyed this YA novel, didn’t want it to end & of course it ended on a cliffhanger.
Very much a female Aladdin, fairytale type of book.
The main character, Adelaide, is street smart, loyal, has a sense of justice & feisty. I love that she’s not whiny & not like a lot of other female character protagonists. It’s a breath of fresh air that Adelaide isn’t annoying & is like-able.

Lucy Tempest’s writing is easy to read, engaging & spellbinding.

I look forward to reading the other books in this series. I believe that young adults & adults will really enjoy reading this series.

This was a fun easy read I enjoyed its. I do like a good fantasy book. I received this book from netgallery in exchange for a honest review.

4.5🌟
Aladdin meets Selection series meets the first book of Throne of Glass series.
As a fan of both Aladdin and Selection series, I was really excited to find out how this book would play out and I was not disappointed a bit. From starting to the end, this book was enthralling. I loved the concept of a gender flipped version of Aladdin. Adelaide, the main protagonist, is a common thief, who is kidnapped by a witch and forced to find a golden lamp to save the people she loves from cruel fate. To find the lamp, Ada has to enter the palace under the disguise of one of the fifty participants of the tournament for winning Crown Prince's hand in marriage. Ada allies with a stunningly handsome young thief in the palace to find the lamp while grudgingly participating in the tournament. She wants nothing but to find the lamp as soon as possible and escape the palace forever, but all her plans changes the moment the prince reveals himself.
Was this book extremely predictable? Yes! But did it stop me from enjoying every bit of it? No!! Dare I say this book was better than the selection series? It was a perfect balance of everything. The starting was a bit slow but it gets better. I enjoyed all the trials in the tournament. The plot is compelling and I am very intrigued by the world. Ada is a smart and interesting character. I am very curious to know about her past. I finished this book in one sitting and felt so satisfied after I was done. I am really looking forward to read the next installment and finding out more about Ada's journey.

This book is a gender-bent retelling of Aladdin mixed with the Selection. It's going to be part of a fantasy world of fairy tale retellings. It's a nice take, the concept itself being both fun and it has plenty of opportunity for mischief. It's kind of bland though. Pretty simple dialog, worldbuilding that's weird, and it has absolutely no connection to it's original myth. It's kind of written for the white gaze. It's an easy quick read without much substance. The plot is quick paced, so it's not boring.

I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This by no means affected my opinion of it.

📚 ft. a slightly out-of-the-ordinary review.

Here's what was going on in my head when I requested this book:
Ooh, an Aladdin retelling? With competition for the hand of the crown prince? With a thief as the main character? Must be a delightful combination of THRONE OF GLASS and THE SELECTION with the tiniest bit of SIX OF CROWS mixed in. But, shh, don't raise your expectations too high, Annie, high expectations are breakable expectations, yeah?

Here's what was going on in my head while I was reading the book:
This is weirdly entertaining in the best possible way. I really feel for Ada. She's clever and sly, and basically, a well-rounded female character who has strengths and weaknesses (although she can feel a bit naive at times.) I also love Cherine! I need more of this asshole-with-a-heart-of-gold trope! And the tension? And the suspense? And the heist? All rock my nerd-dust covered socks. Worldbuilding? A bit lacking, but immersive nonetheless. Cyrus? Yes, please. I need a Cyrus in my life.

Here's what was going on in my head when I finished the book:
The ending destroyed me and I need the next book ASAP even though my friendly bank account is probably plotting to murder me in my sleep. But seriously, I set my Expectations™ high and THIEF OF CAHRAMAN met them! 4+ stars and a lovely sigh from me.

Thief of Cahraman has a great description from the publishers, but in order to get to that part of the story, I had to skim through a very irritating Cinderella character that made me quit reading this book on every other page. I skimmed ahead and tried to figure out what I hated about this book. I hated the voice of the character. I did not feel any kind of sympathy, empathy or even curiosity, and I always like to read girl power books. I also read on Goodreads that the author, Ms. Tempest has 8-10 of these retellings planned. Ugh. Not interested. What female authors know how to write a female character that grabs readers immediately? This is a short list, some of the books coming from Net Galley: How to build a female character that young girls need to read:

Celaena/Aelin from Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Shahrzad from The Wrath and the Dawn, The Rose & the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Rasmira Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

Binti from Binti series, Nnedi Okorofor
Emika Chen Warcross series by Marie Lu
Mari Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

I did not purposefully choose only female authors, but I did go through some of my past blog posts this year and grabbed these characters that stayed with me. There are others, but a little research and writer modeling from these authors may help the characters in Tempest's books.

(4 stars) - Aladdin meets "Mean Girls"

An amalgam of fairytale influences in a fun YA story. While this is aimed at teens and young adults, the young at heart & those of us resisting growing up will appreciate it, too.

For those of us who enjoy fairytales & retellings, this is sure to please. This actually seems to incorporate characters from several, but the tale of Aladdin is the obvious main influence.

Ada is a likeable heroine - strong & determined yet intuitive & compassionate. At times she seems more naive than you would expect for one with her upbringing, but nothing too glaring. Cyrus is all that is charming, lol.

The story was quite entertaining, but it did end with a to-be-continued sort of ending which I always find frustrating, though at least the next books are already out, so I don't have to wait to find out how it ends - or have to reacquaint myself with the 1st story before reading the next.

I will definitely be reading the next in the series!

[I'm always surprised when authors use cliffhangers; I know of few things that upset a substantial number of readers more. There is a way of giving a story the ending of a stage, with the next book covering the next stage of progress in the plot. This allows the author the freedom to leave the main plot still open-ended without leaving readers hanging and thereby ticking them off]

Clean romance level: sweet kisses, about a half dozen uses of the word "d@mn"