I received The Theft of Sunlight from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

I had read Thorn, the first book of the Dauntless Path series years ago, I believe again through NetGalley. I really liked it, but so long had passed until this second book came around that I didn’t remember much at all. I somewhat regret that, because I wonder how I’d seen the old familiar characters if this book with the knowledge from the previous one.

Either way, my question is: When is the next one coming?

Because The Theft of Sunlight was really cool! It took me just a few days to finish it (with work and whatnot inbetween), and I enjoyed the setting and the characters a lot, even the ones who I don’t remember much about from Thorn.

This book is basically a fantasy detective novel in a medieval fantasy world where elves and magic exist. What’s not to love?

The main character in this book is Rae – the daughter of a horse farmer, who, upon visiting her cousin at court gets appointed as the new princess’ attendant and leads the investigation of a child slave trade ring lead by a mysterious group known as “the snatchers”. Rae is brave, inquisitive and loyal, albeit a bit stubborn, and manages to make a group of interesting friends along the way, such as a tax clerk, a thief and an elf ambassador.

I liked Alyrra in this book, and I’m pretty sure I must have liked her in Thorn, because she is very clever and resourceful. The part I’m disappointed about is that I don’t remember her previous relationship with prince Kestrin, and how it evolved to what’s now in The Theft of Sunlight, because they were just so cute!

I’m really anxious, though, about when the next book is coming, because the ending of this one was an epic cliffhanger and I just can’t accept that it might take 5-10 more years until another book comes out. Up until the last few chapters I expected everything will be wrapped up neatly, and then poof! – that ending. I can’t take it, Netflix has made me unable to wait for the next episode’s coming out.

Ms Khanani, pretty please...

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library wishlist and recommended it to students.

I have been waiting eight years for this book and it has been so worth the wait.

Rewind to 2012 – the year where I was applying for university scholarships and trying to finish as many books in my school library before I graduated. Sometime during the year, I participated in a blog tour for a book named Thorn, a retelling of The Goose Girl, and fell in love. Unusually for me, I signed up for the author’s mailing list and I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS BOOK EVER SINCE.

(Honestly, if there wasn’t a mailing list, I may not have remembered but I’ve been reminded of this on and off for years so can you imagine my excitement when I heard The Theft of Sunlight was ready??)

The Theft of Sunlight is set in the same world as Thorn. While you don’t have to have read Thorn to appreciate this, I highly recommend you do so because:

1) Thorn is a fantastic retelling of The Goose Girl and

2) It will help you understand a lot of the character relationships. While Rae, our protagonist, is a new character to this world, many of the main secondary characters were in Thorn and it really helps the reading experience if you know what they’ve gone through.

(Ok, I’m finally done with the digressions)

The Theft of Sunlight starts when Rae’s best friend’s sister is taken by the “snatchers”. In order to learn more about this mysterious, possibly magical group, Rae accepts an invitation from her cousin, who married a nobleman, to accompany her at court while she is pregnant. But shortly after she gets there, Rae is taken into the service of the Princess (the Prince’s betrothed) and given a secret, secondary task to investigate the disappearance of the children.

Honestly this book was phenomenal. Rae is the best – although she is born with a club foot, she has never let that get in her way and carries out her responsibilities as faithfully as possible. I also love how the secondary characters were mostly supportive and wholesome. For example, Prince Kestrin and Princess Alyrra’s relationship made me melt (this is the topic of Thorn so please read it) and I’m not a romance person! Rae and her cousin, Melly, was also uplifting to read, and I also enjoyed Rae’s budding romance with a certain side character.

But although the core supporting characters are all so lovable, there are, unfortunately, others. The court ladies are standoffish until a foreigner makes them band together around Rae and Alyrra (sounds familiar…) and the foreign prince, Alyrra’s brother is downright despicable. Overall, I thought the book had an excellent mix of characters, from those I loved to those I loved to hate.

The story was intricate and the world even more real than what I experienced in Thorn. I suppose that now the book is free from the frame of the retelling, Intisar has managed to really expand the world and build upon the story. We have court politics, we have missing children, we have family relationships – this book has them all. One note of warning: this book does touch upon domestic abuse and slavery, and Intisar does not shy away from the effects of these.

There’s also one more thing to note. If you are a completionist, you might want to avoid this book until the next one is out. This is a duology and it definitely ends on a cliffhanger. Like with Thorn, I’m now super hyped for the next book and hoping it comes out soon!

If you’re a fan of fantasy or just well-told stories with really strong protagonists in a unique world, can I please recommend in the strongest and most polite terms that you read The Theft of Sunlight? It is amazing and I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Disclaimer: I got this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Rae is fearless and I love seeing how she works as a thief and how detailed everything is. It comes out a couple of days before my birthday and I just adored this book. I'll be doing a detailed review on my blog closer to the release date but just know that this is a must=read!!

Marketing-wise, I think it was absolutely lost on me that The Theft of Sunlight was a sequel or a companion novel or part of a duology in any way. I think because of this fact, some things were somewhat lost on me as I was reading and definitely I would have enjoyed it more if I had a fuller picture of what to expect going in. However, the writing was strong and enjoyable to read! I would recommend this book to any friend who loves YA. I think this book will do wonderfully when it is released and it won't be hard to garner much hype for it!

THORN was one of my favorite reads of 2020, and I was lucky enough to get my hand on an ARC of the sequel, THEFT OF SUNLIGHT. It is every bit as good as THORN but next level in terms of stakes. This is an intricate story that takes on some of the most serious issues in society, such as child trafficking, and is told through a new main character, Rae. (Rae was briefly introduced in the short story at the end of THORN). Her story is carried with an urgency that will have you evaluating the impact you want to have in the world. My teen son is also a huge fan of this series and likes this second installment even more than the first, which he also greatly enjoyed. I have already preordered a copy for my home library!!

This is the second in a series, although knowledge of the first book isn't necessary so long as the reader is familiar with the Goose Girl fairy tale (reading the Wikipedia summary would also provide sufficient background). There's a great deal of good content, world building, and character development but, overall the plot feels overstuffed. There are too many plot lines in general, as well as far too many plot lines that a country girl with no previous court experience is likely to have such a significant role in (particularly a girl who so continuously violates all norms and protocols). While the character isn't a Mary Sue in the least, both her adventures and ongoing employment (from hire onward) have shades of the improbability usually associated with that trope. The cliff hanger conclusion was very well done, as I absolutely have an interest in knowing how the central mystery of the Snatchers is resolved and seeing if 'Bren' reemerges despite having only middling feelings about the book overall.

I've heard amazing things about the Khanani's works so was excited to dive into this story. The settings, characters and plot are unique and engaging enough but I did struggle to finish. I'm pegging it to a "it's me" not the book sort of thing. Something about the lead just didn't pull me in quite as deeply as I'd expected. Either way, I still think fans of the author will find her latest work quite the treat.

I recieved an ARC through Netgalley.

Wow. This book is long, heavy, and comes with a large serving of dark realism. Intisar Khanani brings to light the terrors of the slave trade, based on modern human trafficking. A determined woman, Rae (from The Bone Knife), relentlessly chases leads, all the while attending to Princess Alyrra in the palace, working with a thief, witnessing the horrors around her that people just seem to make light of, and facing herself. I can't believe how detailed this was and can sense all the work put into it. It's dark, it's heavy, and needs to be read

First off, a confession: When I decided to read this book, I didn't realize it was a sequel, so there are a few elements that were lost on me.

Even so, I loved it! Rae is such a persistent character, and while her adventure was tough, she stuck it out! Which, unfortunately, made this cliffhanger ending hurt even worse.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!

I give The Theft of Sunlight 5 out of 5 stars!

The Theft of Sunlight, by Intisar Khanani

Intisar Khanani is one of my favorite authors because she writes such kind, brave, and good heroines! The Theft of Sunlight introduces us to one of those heroines, Rae. Picking up very soon after Thorn ends, this book delves deeper into the politics at play between royalty and mages, child snatchers, and the thief lords. I was very glad to see some of my favorite characters from Thorn reappear, though we get several new people to love, too!

Rae comes to the capital after her best friend’s sister disappears. She is determined to help stop the kidnappings, so she accepts an offer to become Princess Alyrra’s (yay, Thorn!) attendant. But the palace has many dangers, not least of which is Alyrra’s conniving brother, that Rae has to navigate while also trying to solve the complex puzzle of the snatchers. Luckily, Rae is a straightforward, no-nonsense woman, and she’s up to the task.

I admit that this book felt longer than it needed to be. But, a LOT happens, so Khanani was clearly trying to cram a bunch of action in! And I appreciate that between all the action, she gave Rae space to think and grow and respond. This story is quite sophisticated, and Khanani juggles everything with a practiced hand Sure, it was hard to believe that Rae went the whole book without realizing who her thief friend really was (there are so many clues and she is not dumb!), and sure, readers see the ultimate betrayer miles away, so Rae’s surprise is hard to fathom. But those are mild complaints compared to the benefits of a strong, genuinely good, and kind heroine who teams up with an accountant, a faerie and a thief lord to solve crimes like human trafficking.

Love this author and really enjoyed this book - can’t wait to read the rest of Rae’s story!

Perhaps I should wait to give feedback because I'm still feeling a lot of emotions after finishing this book, but I'm going to try anyways.

4.5 Stars. So this is the sequel to Thorn, but the viewpoint changes and it no longer follows the fairy tale retelling story. These two points made it a tiny bit harder to get into then Thorn, but not much because turns out, I am loving Intisar Khanani (please write more!).

This story focuses on Amraeya, a horse rancher's daughter who becomes an attendant to the princess and helps her search for the snatchers learned of in the first book. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and Rae. Her banter with Bren was so fun. Rae has a turned foot and this book is a great representation of someone who cannot naturally keep up, but doesn't let stop her from accomplishing anything. (Please note: I do not have any physical disabilities and if I am wrong that this is not an accurate representation in any way or is harmful to the portrayal - please correct me).

While I enjoyed Rae as a heroine I would have enjoyed this book even more if we still saw Alyrra's point of view sometimes. When Rae is watching Alyrra and Kestrin I would have enjoyed hearing their points of view, but that's just because I came to love them so much in the first book.

But that ending? My heart - it's torn. On the one hand, that's a very reasonable ending for a book about slavery, but please it can't be a duology as the author states in the acknowledgements! Even if I an intellectually agree that we shouldn't learn what happens to Rae (although I want that story!) you can't leave us hanging with the kingdom and Garrin (who - called it!) and everything else that must be turned upside down. I need at least one more book.

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up

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Trigger warnings: ableism (not portrayed in a positive manner), violence, threats of sexual violence, sexism (not portrayed in a positive manner)

This is my first time reading Khanani’s work, but I’m eager to get my hands on more of her books! The Theft of Sunlight was a great read, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for new adult fiction with magic and strong female protagonists.

The Theft of Sunlight begins with the abduction of a young girl. After all attempts at finding the child are unsuccessful, Rae, the protagonist, accepts an invitation to the city hoping to find more information about the mysterious group (known as the snatchers) who abduct children. The next day, she’s invited to the palace and told that the princess needs a new attendant. Then, it turns out the princess herself is also interested in figuring out who’s behind the strange abductions.

This was one of the few problems I had with the book. It felt as though Rae encountered a dilemma in the first few pages and the universe just kind of gave her whatever she needed to advance her journey. Things up front were a little too coincidental for me to fully believe.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book, and it ended up being one of my favorites of this year. Rae, the protagonist, is just a wonderful character. She’s not the type of YA/NA female protagonist who hates other women and goes around hitting people for no reason. In fact, one of my favorite parts of this book was when Rae expressed regret for hitting someone in anger and held herself accountable and apologized. That moment was a breath of fresh air. I’m accustomed to unnecessary violence being glossed over or being sold as an endearing personality trait. When that wasn’t the case in this book and being an a-hole for no reason was a BAD thing, I nearly jumped out of my chair and said, “Yes, thank you. Finally.”

Rae doesn’t have superpowers, she’s not a great fighter, and she’s not a chosen one. She’s simply a pragmatic individual with a keen sense of duty who tries to do the right thing. Her empathy, combined with her no-nonsense approach, made her one of the most likeable characters I’ve read in a long time. She was kind of like if Ned Stark had common sense.

I found I didn’t have much difficulty getting absorbed in the world despite the fact that I hadn’t read the previous novels. The major issue I had, and something the publisher may want to consider if they want this to be a total standalone that exists within the previous universe, is that there were A LOT of different types of magic, and the author’s recaps of how the systems work were not always clear enough that I could always follow the plot. This becomes especially important toward the end of the book when it’s revealed who might be helping the snatchers (what the book calls the group that’s abducting children).

Overall, I think this is a really great start to a series, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

I received this ARC via HarperTeen and Netgalley for an unbiased review.

"...I know what I want. I'll simply have to be patient in order to get there."

Hello everyone~! Let's get into a few quick Q&A's before delving into this world and my thoughts.

1. Can I read this book if I haven't read Thorn or The Bone Knife? Yea....no. You shall be exceedingly confused and miss an amazing door of opportunity to get your feels going when you see familiar characters again in this book because ultimately, they are all in here.

2. Is it a big book? yep!

3. Is there a lot of romance? yes and no. There are aspects of a romance, and I surely fell in love with a male character because he's a hunk, but it isn't the main narrative of the story and I can appreciate that a lot.

4. is it worth reading? You betcha!

Okay! let's get into it!

This book was a journey. Honestly, such a journey.
Having read basically all of Intisar's novels, I knew what I was roughly signing up for... but did I?

This book addresses the dark sides of the court life, which we all can hazard a guess of what those are, with all its plots and machinations.

However, she has tastefully and heartbreakingly addressed things that I haven't come across in YA novels before and it was both amazing and terrifying. My heart was pounding and very little sleep was had.

Let's get into my own iterations of the plot:

Rae knows that life is unfair.
Life is hard.
People are merciless.
Having lived with a disability since birth she has seen the looks of pity, the looks of mockery, and the constant sneers of derision which follows in her wake.
However, being a somewhat sheltered country girl made her forget the ruthlessness of humanity.
Until...a loved one disappears. Rae is awoken to the bitterness of life.
When she is invited to the capital and life takes her into the Royal Court.
She becomes a spectacle.
But no one knows that Rae has a purpose.
You may sneer.
You may even underestimate her.
But Rae is a warrior.
Maybe not of swords and spears,
But she will protect those she loves.
Snatchers beware, Rae will not be trifled with.
With a soul of iron and a resolve of steel.
Rae may be made to courtesy...but she will never kneel.

This book for me sits at 3.5-4/ 5 stars (leaning more towards the 4).

Let me tell you why.

Delving into this novel, I loved the way the author sucks you into her world however, I felt that at moments this fluctuated as the novel went on. The beginning was tastefully described, I could see the market stalls, smell the earth and see the vegetables that were selling.

However, the descriptions soon became a bit more abstract and scarce and I found myself completely at loss as to how I ought to envision the town, the palace, and even the apartment complexes.

Therefore, to describe the capital and the town (which the character spends a great deal of time in) I had to literally imagine the setting of the live-action Disney movie Aladdin in my head because I felt that it wasn't particularly described in-depth and I had a hard time envisioning it.

The beginning/ first half of the book was sloooow, but I tell you lovelies, the moment Bren comes into the game, I. WAS. SOLD!!! Ahhhhhh BREN! NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND ALERT!

He's kind of amazing and I'm trying not to make this whole review about him but DANG! I LOVE HIM! I want more!

I had moments where I just kept imagining that moment in Tangled, the bit where Rapunzel is like, "I even met someone." and her 'mother' is like, "oh yes! a wanted thief, I'm so proud!" haha but honestly the second part of this book is action-packed and worth every second after BREN comes in.

When I think of all the insanities our poor heroine goes through, I swear I felt like having panic attacks, time and again. Rae is strong and the love she has for her family, even stronger. She is pushed and challenged beyond words and limits. But Rae is honestly such an amazingly strong character.

That ending was brutal because now I have to wait for a while until I get myself the next book. I actually NEED that book more than words can describe.

I think I'll stop there for now because I don't want to steal the thunder you'll feel when experience when getting your hands on this book and the awesomeness that this is.

Stay awesome my lovelies!
Emmeline (The Book Herald)
follow me for more reviews <3

In 2014, I read Intisar Khanani's Thorn and loved it. A retelling of the famous Goose Girl fairy tale in which Alyrra is the endangered princess. I've enjoyed everything I've read by Intisar Kahanani, and The Theft of Sunlight was another example of how easily I fall into the worlds she creates.

Set in the same world as Thorn, Theft of Sunlight features Rae, daughter of a horse rancher. Alyrra, the betrayed princess turned goose girl, is now about to marry the prince. But although Alyrra plays an important role, she is not the protagonist this time.

Rae, who limps as a result of a club foot, has come to the palace to visit her cousin and been drafted into becoming an attendant to Alyrra. Rae agrees because she has a purpose of her own--finding out who is behind the stealing of children and selling them into slavery.

Despite the handicap of a club foot, Rae pursues the dangerous task of discovering the how and the who behind the thefts of children. Another one of Khanani's wonderful female protagonists, Rae is defined by courage and persistence.

Danger and suspense keep the pace quick. Who to trust? How deep is the conspiracy?

My only problem--waiting for the next book. Recommended!

I'm reviewing this early since the publication date is so far away, but will mention it again in March, 2021.

NetGalley/Harper Teen
YA/Fantasy. March 23, 2020. Print length: 528 pages that absolutely flew by!

Excellent teen fantasy, very timely theme. The story is well written, if a little formulaic,very well paced. Should be very successfull.

**I received this book from netgalley in exchange for a review**

"Sometimes, when you think things are finished, they are only just beginning."†

I was SUPER excited for this book because I really enjoyed Thorn and I LOVED The Bone Knife... So, of course, my biggest disappointment was that there was so little of Stonemane (from TBK) in this. I was really thinking he was going to be a major player in this book. I was SO pumped to learn more about this capricious fae lord with black hair and “infinite eyes”† (MY ~TYPE~)... Tragically, he was only in a few scenes. We did get to see a lot of Kestrin and Alyrra, though, which I love! I am such a sucker for previous protagonists playing major roles in indirect sequels.

I really enjoyed Rae as a protagonist, but there were a few too many damsel-in-distress moments for my liking. I will admit that she always worked to fix her circumstances, but she also always ended up having to basically give up because she physically couldn’t change them. I would have loved to have seen her find her power in other ways.

The romance in this book is kind of nonexistent, but very clearly hinted at. I found that Rae and this character had zero chemistry, so I'm really hoping the sequel steps it up a notch. (Which, after that cliffhanger, I'm sure it will).

†check against final text

I had previously read "Thorn" and was excited to see that Khanani was publishing another book set in the same world. If "Thorn" was good - and it was - "Theft of Sunlight" is even better. The world-building is wonderful, the characters authentic and intriguing, and the writing is very well balanced.
The main character is a delight. She doesn't fall into the current common trope where a strong female lead proves her strength by being obnoxious and awful to everyone around her. Instead, we have a lead who has willpower, intelligence, and a strong sense of ethics. She also happens to have a physical disability. I enjoyed that her disability was not glossed over - but I enjoyed even more that it was not THE defining characteristic. It exists, it makes some things difficult, and the reader is always conscious of how it impacts the lead's life but it isn't the whole of the lead. Really well-handled.
The storyline is also well-handled, particularly in dealing with such a sad and frequently grisly topic. There are hints of romance, but not so much that it comprises the entire plot and the secondary characters are well-crafted and genuinely add to the story.
I will be purchasing this book for my library and I hope many others do. It is probably better for older teens/new adults than younger ones, but those who get swept up in the story will certainly love it. As for me? I can't wait to see how Rae's story ends.