I can't believe how AMAZING this book was!! I really loved it! In fact, I couldn't put it down and had to just keep reading another chapter until I finished it at 3 am.

I am big fan of fairytale recreations and spin off and could read them all day long. However, this was by my far my variation that I have read! There is another extremely popular one that most teens and young adults have read that I did enjoy, but I still enjoyed this one so much more!

The characters are just so interesting and likable. I loved the gender swap of Adelaide, known as Ada, for Aladdin. It was particularly interesting seeing the world from her perspective. Like Aladdin, although a petty thief, she is perhaps one of the most generous and kind-hearted people in the book. She has had to thief through her life in order to meet her needs through life and sometimes out of fun to right others wrongs, but she seems to genuinely care for others. Even returning some stolen items when she later realized it may hurt another and put them under suspicion. All Ada wants is to live a life of known with those she cares up being well taken care of. However, there is another fate lined up for her as she ends up competing for Queen of a far away and formerly unknown land to her, and hand of the prince among 49 other girls. This is very reminiscent to The Selection series, which I also really love. She makes some close friends through book one and proves that some things, kindness, wit and sacrifice, are more important than a royal upbringing. All the while she is fighting for those she cares for and trying her best to ensure their safety.

This appears to be Lucy Tempest's first novel, yet I am quite surprised as it feels like she is much more experienced than most debut novels I have read in the past. She weaves the story so seamlessly and keeps the reader so engaged, that it is rather shocking she has not done it prior to now. I am so excited to read the rest of the series and was disappointed when the book ended as I wanted to keep reading and find out what happened next! I will definitely be reading the rest of the series as I can't wait to follow Ada's story further and that of her friends! It is a tricky thing to make the main character interesting to a broad audience and prompt them to care strongly about her fate, but even harder to influence the reader to feel that way about all of the secondary characters of the novel too! Tempest is a master at both and I am anxiously waiting on the tip of toes to see what happens for each of them!

A magical backdrop has been masterfully set up for this land and I am excited to see what happens in and what other characters will be introduced. Be warned: This book will suck you in until the very end and push you out with your head still in the clouds, dreaming and speculating, desirous to continue on to the next book as soon as possible!!

I received this book (in an ebook format) in exchange for an honest review. First off, I love fairytale retellings so I was really excited to read the Thief of Cahraman. Throw in the gender-swapping roles (women who take charge and save themselves!), the faire elements, and interconnecting fairy tale characters (we meet what I believe will eventually be Bell and Cinderella within the first chapter or two of the book) and I was beyond thrilled with the premise. With such radical changes to the Aladdin story (Disney or Arabian Nights), I was not sure about how sustainable the story itself would be. But the main character, Adelaide, made an excellent main character with a heartbreaking backstory. She has been on her own for years, working and stealing to get enough food to eat (and for a little vengeance when the gods don’t punish those who deserve it). The constant moving and keeping to herself has made for a lonely life until she makes it to a small northern town and meets Bonnie and her father. They insist she stay with them and she has a family for the first time in years. She could not be more content and does not understand why Bonnie would ever wish to leave to see the world.
A witch (though it's unclear who she is in this book, I’m sure we’ll find out more about her in the rest of the trilogy), kidnaps Bonnie and her father and holds them as ransom to ensure that the talented young thief will attempt to pull off the biggest heist she’s ever attempted. Adelaide makes for the palace only to find out that she has been “invited” to take part in finding the prince a worthy wife. The story then switches to a Selection type tale where Adelaide attempts to remain at the palace long enough to find the witch’s item. She is the only non-elite girl there and quite a lot of hilarity ensues between the 50 girls. She makes unlikely friends along the way and finds fellow thieves who are willing to help her make her score. Though readers will likely see the end of the story coming, it still made for an enjoyable read! Tempest’s main characters were interesting and dynamic, the plot moved at a good pace, and I liked the direction of the story. I would recommend this for people who like fairy tale retellings, the Selection, or fantasy in general. The material is suitable for all ages and I do not have any trigger warnings that I would attach to the book. I hope this encourages others to read it! I really enjoyed it and hope others do as well!

Aladdin meets the selection

Spoilers

Adelaide works at a tavern and is a thief.She steals from lady dufreyne after she destroys almost everything in the tavern,insisting a package sent there was stolen.Adelaide likes Ella ,lady dufreynes step daughter, but she is always busy with chores for her step mother.There are rumors of fairies in the nearby woods. Bonnie ,Adelaide friend,wants to explore other lands and look for fairies and other life forms.The girls explored the woods and saw red eyes watching them.A lot of people dislike lady dufreyne and how she treats her stepdaughter.Adelaide meets a witch named nariman who has a scheme to help her steal a heirloom of hers from castle.Nariman threatens the safety of Adelaide friend bonnie and her father in exchange for successfully stealing the oil lamp heirloom.”You have been summoned to Sunstone palace to compete as one of fifty eligible young women of status,in search for the future queen of cahraman.” Adelaide becomes a part of elite competition of girls to become queen but there are dangerous consequences if she’s cut.Adelaide has to come up with elebarote back story while trying to come up with plan in order to steal the heirloom.I liked Adelaide from the beginning and thought of all the stories her and bonnie would be able to tell in end.I loved how bonnie father treated her like family.Adelaide finds a fellow thief at castle who is not who he appears.I liked that the thief was named cyrus it’s a family name.”I barely blurted out the urge to say rob the vault and run away with me .” I liked cherish out of the contestants but cora was a laid back favorite.I was curious about Ayman ,cyrus’s friend.Adelaide saves a life and sticks up for her friends showing her true talents.”if you feel that blackening your eye is on par with attempted murder princess then I have nothing left to say to you.” Some parts were predictable .I would love to read the rest of the series .

#theifof cahraman #netgalley

Really enjoyed this one! At times it was predictable and but the descriptions really intrigued me! Highly recommend :)

Given a copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a pleasure to read. While some parts were a bit too obvious, other parts were really enjoyable. I liked Ada’s attitude and her friendships with both Cora and Cherine. However, it was a little silly how she was so street smart but then at the same time so oblivious.

The book was rich but not too rich that it was overdeveloped. It was just right. I’ll easily pick up the next installments in this series—especially in anticipation of the Beauty and the Beast (Bonnibel “Bonnie” Fairchild) and Cinderella (Ornella “Ella” Dufreyne) storylines that will obviously happen down the road.

I’m also loving the mystery of Ada’s parentage. Hopefully that gets resolved in a satisfying way.

The Thief of Cahraman is a delightful, fast-paced story following our young thief as she is whisked away and forced to compete in a bride selection as cover for her casing the palace. The beginning of the book was a bit rough around the edges. It felt like the author wasn’t sure what she wanted Adelaide’s voice and personality to reflect. The vocabulary chosen at the beginning made it seem so formal, reminiscent of Regency-era dialogue, rather than the coarse casual verbiage that would be used by a pub worker/thief.

There are parts of Ada I really enjoy. I love the spunky moments and impatience with Cyrus and his mischief, and yet the crippling doubt and anxiety that she suffers from didn’t feel real to me. I think the descriptions just didn’t resonate with my own experiences so I felt it lacking. I didn’t care for how instant Ada’s attraction to Cyrus was. He was just so attractive that she found herself immediately wanting him to run away with her.

I wish the author had spent more time building up the secondary characters and giving them their own unique voices/personalities. Cherine was a two-dimensional character. A typical vapid miss with a loud mouth and disdain for those she feels are inferior to her. It was clear the author meant to show character growth but it just didn't quite meet the mark for me. Poor Cora had me laughing during and after each test and I started looking forward to her grumping and dismay towards advancing.

Even with the rough start and some issues with the characters, I still devoured the book and immediately set about finding the second book and stalking the author. I enjoy retellings of folktales like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast and this was no exception. I’m hoping the author continues on this path of strengthening her writer’s voice because she truly has potential.

Full review available at Dream Come Review

Thief of Cahraman is a wonderful YA Fantasy fully of mystery, intrigue, and swoon worthy romance.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC for an unbiased review.

Captivating alluring and very intriguing, this thriller romance fairytale only links to the fable Aladin I find is the Vault and the lamp but everything else is in reverse with the thief being a kickass woman with a lotta spunk. This new fairytale switch I like, it has been an engrossing and exciting read with a few surprises along the way. It emphasizes what true friendship is all about and all about your character and how you treat others. This book had an old frame but the new design-build is exceptional, it puts more zest into the fairytale twist, a memorable and entertaining read.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.
I loved how this story unfolded and dealt with different fairy tales. For those wanting a new take on the Aladdin, this story has wonderful aspects of young adult, fantasy. It does remind me of The Selection, but there is enough of a twist and changes that make it really intriguing. Excited to see how this series turns out!

Thief of Cahraman Lucy Tempest
First let me tell you that this is a retelling of Aladdin with a female protagonist. There are snippets of other fairytales, here and there, “Easter eggs,” if you will, thrown into the mix. This was a light and enjoyable read and is book 1 in the Fairytales of Folkshore trilogy.
Adelaide (Ada) is an orphan and a thief. And an excellent thief at that. All she wants is to leave her past behind her and find a home and family where she can feel safe and loved. She has finally found a home with her best friend Bonnie and Bonnie’s father. She thinks her past of thievery and deceit are behind her. No sooner can she adjust to her current life, does a witch emerge. The witch, Nariman, abducts Adelaide and her new surrogate family and threatens to kill them, by sacrificing them to a beast if she doesn’t do as the witch commands. Adelaide is a strong girl, quick-witted, and sharp. She could abscond easily but she has a softer side though, and will do anything she has to in order to save her new family. So she agrees to help the witch in exchange for the safe return of her loved ones, the Fairborns. She finds herself in the Kingdom of Cahraman, “to perform an impossible heist,” as the blurb states.
The witch wants her to (guess what) steal something. The way for her to do this is to enter a competition in which she could die, if she loses, or marry the Crown Prince, should she win. In order to enter the competition for the Prince’s hand in marriage, she must masquerade as “one of fifty eligible young women of status.” The witch has set her on a deadline. As the time keeps drawing near, if she doesn’t nab the object of the witch’s desire, her family will be sacrificed and she could lose her own life as well.
Throughout the duration of her endeavor, she meets a variety of delightful supporting characters, as well as some that are not quite as charming. They all lend well to the plotline and help to move the story forward. There is, of course a kindling romance between Adelaide and one of these individuals, Cyrus. He is everything a girl could dream up for herself, too good to be true, but nonetheless, their relationship flourishes in the backdrop of this treacherous undertaking. I don’t want to reveal too much, so I will leave it at that.
Altogether the book was a creative and impressive retelling of the story. The author’s writing style made this a light, and enjoyable read. The ending leaves you hanging and is set up very well for the continuation of the trilogy. I would recommend this book to any fairytale retelling lover or fantasy fan. 5/5.

This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (where able) on Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo, Bookbub, BAM, Litsy, IG, B&N, Pinterest, Facebook, Kobo, and my own blog. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide all links at this time, as I am using my phone.

I gave this book 2 stars to indicate "it Was OK". I really enjoy fairy tale remake stories, so I was prepared to really enjoy this one. I have a few thoughts.
The beginning of the book almost made me stop reading. It was a somewhat clumsy information dump about the world, and a lot of it was disjointed and didn't make sense. This was supposed to establish the main character's home and friends, to give her motivation to keep going, but unfortunately I didn't get enough time with the characters to feel connected to them. This part of the story seemed very unlike the rest of the book and wasn't very interesting.
The premise to start the main plot conflict was pretty strained. They just decide to go into the evil woods, which is apparently right outside the town, which they've never gone in before, but today they will. Just because. Plot reasons. It seemed rushed, random, and clumsy.
The rest of the book, which was the main storyline, was better. Interesting characters, interesting setting, even if it was a pretty predictable premise. A competition to win the hand of the prince. Very predictable. Also, the supposed plot-twist was very obvious, you can guess it in about 2 seconds and it's hard to believe that none fo the characters guess it. The predictability is okay, but it certainly didn't Help the book.
The main character fell pretty flat here. She doesn't really Do anything for a lot this storyline. She's supposed to be a thief and a street kid with street smarts and skills, but she doesn't show any of this. It's disappointing. A lot of time passes where nothing happens in the book.
Overall, it was just okay. Not bad enough to make me stop reading it, but not good enough to make me glad I read it. I would consider reading the rest of the series with the hope that the author improves her skills, as many authors do.

Thief of Cahraman is a retelling of the classic story of Aladdin ! I loved following Ada along her journey, though I quickly figured out who her escort was I loved reading along and her never seeing the signs. Just as the book was picking up and had my heart racing, cliff hanger !! I almost screamed out loud and immediately had to find the second book in the series because I am dying to know what happens to Ada and Cyrus ! This is a must for any fan of retelling fairy tales and of course if you love the original Aladdin then you will love this just as much !

What a gorgeous cover!!
If you enjoy fairytale re-tellings, you'll love the Theif of Cahraman. This is a light re-telling of the Aladdin story. I enjoyed it and wanted more. Can't wait to read the next books in the series!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Great start to a trilogy.
The selection happens with a sprinkle of Aladdin fantasy.
Bonnie was cute. The protagonist was totally cool until the start of the competition.
It was so chick lit than being a fantasy YA.
3 star rating with the hope for Prince of Cahraman.
Great book for the Selection fans.
Not much of a Aladdin retelling though.

This began with a bit of a rough road. At 5% I still was not hooked and was mostly skimming. However, I stuck with it in the hope that things would improve. They did, but there was another major aspect that continued to bother me. The world building. I was so confused. I wasn’t sure whether to imagine a medieval-fairytale type world or a mid-1800’s type world or a modernish but still medieval type world. Because, glitter and glue on masks, pink-rimmed cat-eyed spectacles, bicycles, trains, palaces, swords, horses, and wagons. So ya, I really wasn’t sure what to think.
But wait, my friends, don’t stop reading. Because at around 45% I was so hooked I finished it the next day. With the movement to the palace and the beginning of the competition, things got really exciting and interesting. Honestly, I loved the last 55% of this book and now I can’t wait for book #2! What changed?
One thing was that the world of Cahraman was described with far more clarity. It actually became a very intriguing and colorful place. The depth of the characters seemed to broaden as well. Ada’s little band of friends (Cora and Cherine) were totally loveable and entertaining and Ada was kind and loyal. I didn’t like how Cyrus was just sooo handsome, but after a bit, I did find him rather sweet.
The writing was good. It was neat, but I wasn’t blown away by it. After the first bit, the plot became super engaging and was well planned out. The twist to the Aladdin fairytale was unique and it was also interesting to see how Tempest wove the characters of other fairytales into the plot.
Lastly, I’ll give this one a 4.5/5 in the clean-read category. There was barely any profanity and there was no sex.
Wrapping it all up, I recommend this story to lovers of fairytale retellings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Favourite Quote: “For endless moments, I felt as if the marketplace disappeared around us as our eyes locked. There was nothing left in the world but his eyes and my thundering heartbeat.”

Synopsis

‘You have been summoned to Sunstone Palace to compete as one of fifty eligible young women of status, in our search for the future Queen of Cahraman’

Since her mother died 5 years ago, Adelaide, also known as ‘Ada’, has been moving from town to town thieving in order to survive, mainly for necessity, but she can’t deny that she has adapted a skill for it over the years and may sometimes use it to her advantage – or vengeance. When she heard rumour that her mother lived in North Ericura, Ada felt suddenly drawn to the border of Man’s Reach to the town of Aubenaire, thinking it will be a nice place to settle down and be closer to her mother once again. With a good steady job, clean accommodation, plenty of food and a warm-hearted friend Bonnie who would do anything to make Ada feel at home, she finally felt happy.
One evening a stranger appeared, Lady Nariman Rostam, begging Ada to help her with her broken carriage at the edge of Hornswood forest. Confused by the story since there was only rumours of uncharted lands at the other end of the woods, Ada’s curiosity outweighed her fear of the woods and she followed Lady Nariman back to her carriage, only to find nothing there. The world turned upside down when Ada found herself transported to another world of sand and spices, the Kingdom of Cahraman, with a threatening mission to steal an object from the Sunstone Palace, or Bonnie and her father will die. With no choice, she poses as Lady Ada to enter the palace to fulfil her task.

‘”What is this?” I asked, getting dizzy keeping up with her pacing.
“This place or this situation?”
“Either, both – just tell me what you want so I can go home,” I pleaded.
“Where is home, though?”
That question hit me like a punch to the throat, choking me, making it difficult to speak. She knelt beside me, looking much younger than she did earlier, her features softening by some emotion that I couldn’t fathom. “Allow me to welcome you to mine in this realm.”

My Thoughts

One thing said for sure, I absolutely adored this book! I was given a copy to read via NetGalley because I fell in love with the cover and for all of my blatant obsessions with retellings of Beauty and the Beast, I’ve not yet read a retelling of Aladdin until now. I can’t say it will be the last either. This hit my favourites list instantly!

The characters were great, each had their own impacting personalities you come to love and hate, from Bonnie with her innocent disposition with her passionate desire to venture across fantasy lands with Ada, Cherine and Cora both different in temperament but unexpectedly become good friends whilst competing against each other both helping Ada become the Lady she claims to be, plus you’ve always got to have the competitive nasty arrogant character that will do what they can to win, Princess Fairuza.

‘She cupped my cheek affectionately. I again had a feeling Cora realised how afraid I was of being eliminated, and for a reason other than caring about the competition itself. She had no empty words or white lies to give me, but this quiet empathising gesture meant far more than any variation of “You can do it!” could have.’

I really liked Cyrus, our elusive disguised hero that takes pleasure in sneaking into the Palace vault with his demon accomplice, Ayman. Together they decided to help Ada in sneaking around the Palace to find her lost treasure, even when she couldn’t give them a full explanation as to what it was or why it was so important to her. Cyrus was charming, sneaky, witty and underneath it all, a perfect gentleman. Who wouldn’t be swooned by his pleasing personality and giving nature.

‘His nod was sympathetic. “I’ve found that I can’t stand the taste of anything orange. Apricots, carrots, and, well, oranges.”
“That’s nice,” I hissed. “But you really need to stop dodging my questions.”
The corner of his bright eyes crinkled and heart-melting dimples formed in his cheeks as he chuckled. “You’re focused, I like that.”
“Well?”
“Shouldn’t I have the honour of knowing who’s threatening to report me first?”
I mock curtsied. “Call me Ada.”
He bowed fully this time, tucking his free arm under his chest. “Call me Cyrus.”‘


Ada was everything you want as a fairytale protagonist; independent, determined, down to earth, courageous and well, herself. Not a false girl in a dress set on living happily ever after with her prince on a pedestal, but rather selfless and brave for those around her. She gives up everything to put others before herself, even if it means to steal from the crown in order to do it which is punishable by life in prison. She was so fixated on saving Bonnie, that she didn’t really take in everything going on around her. I really liked the fact that she didn’t get lost in the luxury or in the chance to win the Prince and start a new life for herself in the Palace. She was determined to take part in the act in the competition only to buy herself more time to look around for Nariman’s oil lamp.

The settings were fantastic with the beautifully stunning palace interior right down to the dusty market streets with it’s ancient shrines to the goddesses. It was easy to lose yourself in the story when the author was able to bring the scene to life so easily, even if it was getting lost in the palace dungeons.

‘We rounded the corner and sheets of water instantly dropped down on us, pouring down the windows as we went through a faintly glowing waterfall. Behind it was a cave, the ever-shifting reflections of the cascading water dancing on its walls. The train’s movement set off millions of blue dots and they came to life, lighting our way as we travelled deeper inside the mountain.’

I liked the whole fairytale aspect of this book, not only the Aladdin retell, but also how Cinderella was also subtly included in the mixture with her cruel stepmother and vicious stepsisters at the beginning. A friend of Ada’s that she wanted to help protect before being swept off to Cahraman. It had the perfect amount of our original Aladdin tale with a lovely little twist. I’m already itching to read Tempest’s latest sequel which I have already pre-ordered; Prince of Cahraman. I need to know what happens next!

After years of wandering around the country, stealing to survive, Adelaide thought she finally has found her place on Earth. Getting used to the idea of finally having a stabilized life, she finds herself in despair when a witch kidnaps her and gives her an undoable task in order to safe her new-found family. Blackmailed girl finds herself in a new country, where magic and genies are parts of the lifecycle, where she enters the royal competition for a hand of the future king of Cahraman. What’s different from her and other 49 noble girls that have been summoned to compete with each other? She’s not there to win the crown, she’s there to rob the king himself, but she didn’t expect that not so simple servant could also rob her from her heart.

The very first thing I want to say is BRAVO! I have finished reading this book last night and I am torn to know that I have to wait 4 more days before the second book in this trilogy is released. It is very unusual for me to be so excited after reading YA story that is why I’m bending my forehead in admiration for the author Lucy Tempest. I’m not saying the writing is perfect but the story line might be one my favorite in 2018, and that ending? It only made me hungry for more.

Let’s start from the beginning. What caught my attention were a beautiful cover and a short description that basically said ‘A Retelling of Aladdin’. I love re-tellings, especially if they are with an interesting twist, but except of the heroine being a thief and couple genies (that have completely different function in this story) I can tell you straight away- nothing like Aladdin, which is even better as we can consider this an original story. Unfortunately I have another ‘but’… Royal competition… This was a third ‘royal competition’ and a prince-choosing-himself-a- wife book I have read this year- it was the most interesting one, with different dimensions, nevertheless a third one.

Now, after closing my eyes on the issues mentioned above, let me tell you about the wonderful, enchanted story this book was. Kept me engaged for a day and a half and I just couldn’t stop reading. Even though I considered our heroine silly in some situations (trusting people without getting to know them first) I absolutely loved her complicated yet sad life story. I felt so much empathy for her that it made this read even more enjoyable. Her compassion to others and protectiveness made her a very likeable character that I know everyone is going to fall in love with. I found myself following her story and cheering up to all passed tasks and little winnings even when the situation looked miserable. Adelaide is a character that you want to be the best friend with.

The fantasy world presented in the book was interesting and remarkable; I actually want to go for holidays there, to look through the markets in capitol’s downtown and maybe have some picnic on a bottom of the mountain the castle is built on. Cahraman was original and beautiful, full of magical creatures, princesses and princes. I kind of imagined it as a combination of exotic Arabian dessert with XVI century England but also add fairies and gods from the Ancient Greek. Absolutely fascinating…

I really can’t wait for more books written by Ms. Lucy Tempest- especially the sequel to Thief of Cahraman- Prince of Charaman. I easily say I will be the first one that clicks ‘Buy it with 1-click’ on Amazon. I also wished I owned the paper copies so I could advertise it on my IG, people need to know about this book. We need to support our Indie authors- especially if they’re as good as Lucy here. Reach for this story guys and get tangled in romance, intrigue and rescue mission. You won’t regret it!


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I have requested from Net Galley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was filled with delish fairytale goodness! Even the supporting characters paid homage to well known tales! Although the start was a bit slow for me, about 25% in I was absolutely hooked and couldn't put this book down! I loved watching as Adelaide was thrown into a world of Princes, mystery and competition. Reminiscent of, "The Selection" and "Aladdin", I thoroughly enjoyed traveling along as Adelaide made friends (and enemies) searched a new land for "treasure" and fell head over heals for a kind and compassionate prince. This well written tale left me wanting more and wondering how Adelaide's story will end and if we will get a deeper glimpse into the lives of her fairytale tribute friends. I can't wait!

A jewel! In all honesty, I almost stopped reading this book. But the reviews on it are so good I kept going and I am so glad I did. It started slow, but once you got into the book, wow. and then it stopped and now I want more. Of course!! Read this! its great!!

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Aladdin retelling with The Selection vibes!

I'll read anything comparable to The Selection. That series was good book candy. Moreover, I love retellings soo of course I adored this book. I thought it was unique and fun. I'm rooting for the romance potential (a good slow burn). Adelaide is an interesting character but there are many more I'm invested in. I need more.

Impatiently waiting for the next books.