A fun adventure with time travel (think 1700s), thievery, a secret island academy, the Antikythera Mechanism, magic, and futuristic technology. This is very much a young adult read with both sci-fi and fantasy elements.

WARNINGS: Attempted Rape (the main character is almost raped, but fights the attacker off), kidnapping, parental neglect

It’s the first in a series and while it doesn’t quite end on a cliffhanger, many questions are yet to be answered and many plotlines yet to come to a head. Nothing’s really resolved at the end. This book really wouldn’t work as a stand-alone.

The main character, Natasha, is likeable, intelligent, pragmatic, and a little bit morally grey. Between Natasha and some intriguing mysteries yet to be explained, I’m drawn in enough to want to read book 2 despite the lack of resolution at the end of book 1.

THE PREMISE:

Natasha’s just a (mostly) normal 17 year old. After her father left and never came back years ago, her mother basically checked out and gave up, they’ve been barely getting by, and Natasha basically stopped trying and let her grades plummet. Then, things get weird. Natasha gets framed for theft and extorted into attending a reclusive trillionaire’s mysterious Gray Wolf Academy on an island in the middle of nowhere.

Now, Natasha’s terrifying and seemingly random bouts of seeing through time that her father told her to always keep secret are back, she’s already made one enemy among her classmates, and the Grey Wolf Academy clearly teaches students things far more strange and dangerous than a typical high school curriculum, like sword-fighting, thievery, horseback riding, and the fundamentals of general relativity and space-time. The trillionaire running the school says he expects her to help complete his life’s ambition (no pressure or red flags there). Now, Natasha’s trying to rise up ranks at the academy, deal with a crush on the ever-secretive Braxton, and figure out what the academy is for and what the trillionaire head of the academy is really after.

It’s not all bad. In exchange for joining the academy, her mother is being financially taken care of. The part of her that loves fine art and aesthetics is in heaven with all the art, antiques, fancy clothes, and expensive decor at Gray Wolf Academy. One thing’s for sure, Natasha’s got her ambition and sense of adventure back, because apathy is a luxury she can’t afford at Grey Wolf and she’s starting to get the sense that there aren’t many ways to leave the academy and none of them are good. Failing is no longer an option.

THE WORLD:

It’s set in a part fantasy, part sci-fi world. On a reclusive tech trillionaire’s island, there are holograms and tons of technology that’s way ahead of the rest of the world. There’s also enchantments and time travel of a yet to be revealed and seemingly magical origin. Natasha seems to have the unique magical ability to see through time and glimpse things from other time periods. Although, she doesn’t have any control over it. There also seems to be some significance placed on numerology and tarot cards that I can only assume is supposed to be somehow mystically related to time, magic, fate, or Natasha’s abities.

THE CHARACTERS:

The main character, Natasha, can be a bit naive at times, but in a way that’s pretty realistic for her age. It’s not enough to really make her stupid (for her age) and she’s still fairly pragmatic, suspicious, and quick on her feet. She’s empathetic and likeable, but also pragmatic and a little bit morally gray. She’s not overly-forgiving, but she also bides her time for an opportunity for revenge instead of being a shortsighted hothead or tipping her hand prematurely. She lies when it’s smart to and she makes her fair share of mistakes. She’s not above being tempted or distracted. She doesn’t lose all perspective and spill all her secrets to the first guy she crushes on. She also doesn’t trust him completely. Natasha also undergoes growth, getting her ambition and sense of adventure back.

You don’t really get to the other characters very well yet, with the exception of Elodie, a classic antagonist that is impressive, pitiable, dangerous, diabolical, and never boring. Every character seems to be at least a bit morally grey, including Natasha. Most characters have a dark backstory for how they came to Greg Wolf Academy, like Natasha.

This book really keeps you guessing about who’s trustworthy and what hidden agendas and secrets everyone on the island has. Everyone seems to be hiding things.

THE ROMANCE:

There’s a bit of not exactly insta-love, but insta-attraction with the main love interest. However, it doesn’t completely overwhelm the main character’s good sense or, so I’m okay with it. (Although, I’m hoping for another love interest in Killian or a new character in book two cause I’m not liking Braxton and his whole mysterious, secretive, I-protect-people-by-keeping-them-in-dark-and-giving-vague-warnings, guy-with-a-dark-tortured-past-looking-for-redeption-by-getting-the-girl shtick. I thought it was weird and creepy that he liked Natasha and gave her a nickname before he even met her because he read her file and basically stalked her at the behest of his boss.)

THE PLOT & ENDING:

It’s a bit predictable at times, but not enough to spoil the major mysteries too much. There were definitely still surprises. The mysteries were interesting and kept my attention.

At times, I thought the pace was bogged down a bit by descriptions of clothes, picking out clothes, and fancy things. The main character had an interest in fashion/fancy things and sometimes these descriptions were relevant to the plot, so it made sense to include them. I’m not really interested in fashion or general fanciness, so I found those (usually brief) digressions a bit boring.

The only major problem with the plot was that it felt…. unfinished. No major plot arcs are resolved. No short-term plot arcs are resolved to give you closure while a long-term arc remains unfinished. You don’t even know what the main antagonist wants or is planning. Add to that a twist introduced at the end of the book that introduced a new plotline and created a mini cliffhanger.

All in all, this book wouldn’t be a complete story as a standalone. This makes it hard to judge the story on its own. It all depends on Book 2 in this series.

I received a free digital advanced reader copy via NetGalley. I am writing this review completely honestly and voluntarily.

4.25
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read and review! Wow what a journey this book took me on. it was so fast paced and hard to put down. I loved the boarding school setting. It was just the right amount of preppy and mysterious without being too snobby. I also really enjoyed the historical aspects with all the art and background info given. While this was a time traveling fantasy, it was intriguing and felt new to me. I honestly felt like I was traveling with the characters. I also loved the romance subplot and thought it fit well into the narrative. I'm so glad there's going to be a sequel because this was left with so many unanswered questions but in the best way of you're left wanting mor. I was fully captivated and can't wait to see how Natasha is going to flourish. I really liked reading this one!

Stealing Infinity- book review
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

“𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖊𝖗, 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖒𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘 𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖆 𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖕 𝖉𝖔𝖜𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖆𝖇𝖇𝖎𝖙 𝖍𝖔𝖑𝖊.”

This book had me leaving it and very confused all at the same time. I idea behind it is soooo interesting and different then anything else I have ever read. The way time travel was prorated in this book was so interesting.
The first 30% was straight FIRE, and the last 20% was also FIRE. The in-between part fell kinda flat for me. I just felt that the pacing was a little slow for my taste.

To be honest, I don’t know which characters to trust and which characters to like. I think there is a lot of confusion left, but assuming that will addressed in the second book. While this wasn’t my favorite book, I am excited to see where this story goes.

This is a great read for YA readers!

This was such a great fun story. Love the concept of time travel. The author picks a great time to have the characters visit; Versailles during Louis the sun king. Elodie is a witch on wheels and Braxton is a dreamboat. There are references to Oliver Twist but the school caste system made me think of Harry Potter and its houses. If you like young adult fantasy this is for you.

This was a WIN for me y'all. I tore this up in 24 hours. I haven't had a 5 star read in a minute and this was exactly what I needed. Its a dark academia + sci-fi + romance + mystery + time travel. I MEAN COME ON. Also tarot card influence, astrology, all that GOOD SHIT.

I loved the pace of the story. I'm not normally someone who enjoys books that are 400+ pages, but the length did not bother me at all mostly due to the writing. I also really appreciate the short chapters. As someone who loses interest when chapters drag, it helped to keep me invested and wanting more.

The characters are frustrating, mysterious, flawed, yet understandable. Elodie though? She can choke. Hate her. I also was really happy that Natasha's relationship with Braxton, while important, was not the main focus of the book. It was just the right amount of romance for me personally.

While I couldn't care less about designer stuff in real life, I think Alyson does a great job of not making that element as important to our characters as their love of the ART (paintings, historical artifacts, etc). Sure, they're high school kids and materialism has influence, but the descriptions of the clothing, etc speaks more to who they are than it being just a flex fest.

And the time traveling element is everything. The contrast between the insane technology and old beauty of historical items is done beautifully. Once the story picks up and we're in the thick of it, it felt the same anxiety/sense of urgency as Natasha. And the ending!! Loved it. Gimme book 2 nowwwwww.

TW: graphic rape scene, grief

Quick summary: This is the first book I've DNF in over a year. I know the author put a lot of time and care into this story, but "Stealing Infinity" was not a good fit for me.

Full review: I DNF this story at 33%, so take this review with a grain of salt.

My main problem lies with the protagonist, Natasha. She made numerous poor decisions and lacked the strength to stand up for herself and face the consequences of her actions. I'm not sure why she was admitted into this elite boarding school—and to be honest, I don't really care—but I'm convinced we couldn't have had a more naive and clueless character.

The plot itself bordered on ridiculous. I don't want to spoil anything for potential readers, but I can summarize it by saying it was one unrealistic event after another. The transitions between scenes were choppy, and the time travel element was practically nonexistent. I made it a third of the way into the book before I decided to DNF, so it might have gotten better, but I was too frustrated to stick around and find out.

This story is definitely on the younger side of YA. Between the juvenile protagonist, bland love interest (trust me, it's insta-love at its finest), and endless descriptions of clothes, I couldn't take it any longer.

Concluding thoughts: I feel bad for giving this book a low rating because I know how hard it is to write a book. I'm sure "Stealing Infinity" will find an enthusiastic audience among readers in the YA genre, but unfortunately, this story isn't for me.

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

Amazing story and plot! I loved reading this. Engaging from the start that keeps you hooked and wanting to know what happens next. Lots of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. So much happens in this book that you want to read it straight through in one sitting. Sooooo good!! I need to know what happens next and can’t wait until the next book comes out!!! Great book - highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

Stealing Infinity checks off so many boxes for me in what I love in YA fantasy! When Natasha is accused of a crime she didn't commit, she is sent off to Gray Wolf Academy. From this moment the story takes off and you will meet interesting characters in a world that will have you totally immersed while trying to figure out who is friend and who is foe. The time travelling aspect of the story was fantastic. There is so much to this book, and I don't want to give any spoilers so I will just say be sure to check it out. I can't wait for the sequel!!

I really enjoyed Stealing Infinity by Alyson Noel. This book goes a bit deeper than your traditional YA novel, combining magik, time travel, all with your standard teenage drama. The book is very layered and I found myself guessing and second guessing my assumptions of every character between chapters.

I can see it being a book that not all YA fans are going to enjoy because it is of it's depth and it's a little bit plodding at time because there is so much mythology and world building needed. However, if you are a fan of the mythology building you will enjoy the book. I am looking forward to part two when I get a chance to read it.

Alyson Noël did not disappoint, this story is about love, time travel, betrayals, and a coming of age story. Beautifully written and a definite page turner. I didn't want the story to end and I done want to wait for the next book to come out!

I went into Stealing Infinity reading for myself (Hogwarts for time travelers? yes please!), and also preview reading for my 12 year old daughter who loves YA fantasy. The cover art was beautiful, the blurb was intriguing, and I had high hopes. Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations, and I don't see myself recommending it to my daughter. Too many words spent on material things, designer this and expensive that, people who are the most beautiful people ever, insta-rags-to-riches, insta-love... it's all a major turn off for me, especially in YA. Let the magical mystical elements drive the fantasy world, but give me believable, relatable characters within that context.

This will be a series, and any first book in a series should world-build and get you primed for the longer story arcs. A good first book will leave you excited for more, and a great one will have you obsessing and re-reading until the next book is released. While I'm mildly curious about the long game of the time traveling, the characters and plot weren't compelling enough for me to continue to read this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for this honest review.

This fast-paced book has so many great qualities making it a must-read: adventure, mystery, love, time travel. Natasha finds herself in a new school and unsure of who she can trust. Certain aspects of her past begin to make more sense and help her with the present day challenges she finds herself facing. The book ends with a promise of much more mystery and adventure to come!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Stealing infinity is a fast paced book in a dark academia setting. The MC Natasha ends up at Gray Wolf Academy under mysterious circumstances and has to earn her place among the other students. The academy is dark and full of secrets that are slowly revealed as the story progresses. You’re not sure who is friend or foe, what’s real or simulation, or what the purpose of everything is. This story kept me hooked from start to finish and the time travel aspect of the story was really well done.

stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


I thoroughly enjoy Alyson Nöel’s books. I read the Immortals series a long time ago and was transfixed by her ability to vividly carry a reader into another world. She has done it again with Stealing Infinity.

Nat’s father disappeared a long time ago, taking with him her mother’s happiness and Nat’s childhood. Her mom now works to keep them afloat but is not the mom that Nat needs. Nat herself works part time as well, with her best friend Mason. Other than her job, and her friendship with Mason, Nat has pretty much given up. Her grades have plummeted and she is now relegated to eating lunch at one of the ‘lesser’ tables with Mason.

Mason is her best friend, but even Mason can’t convince Nat to pull herself up and try harder. Then Elodie comes along. Elodie is glamorous and daring and magical. Mason thinks she’s trouble, but Elodie gravitates toward despondent Nat and gets Nat all caught up in her world. Mason warns Nat about Elodie over and over, but Nat just can’t see it.

Until the day that Nat is suddenly accused of shoplifting when her locker is found to be stuffed with clothes. Clothes that she had been trying on while Elodie was giving her a makeover to visit a secret club. Expelled from school and in jail, Nat’s options are very limited. Until Brax, a boy she met at the club, offers to bail her out. He explains to her that her mother essentially has given Nat over to a very wealthy billionaire to keep her out of trouble. In exchange, this wealthy billionaire is going to provide everything Nat’s mom could ever need.

This is how Natasha ends up at Grey Wold Academy. A rather different kind of school for different kids. Each one has been hand picked for certain skills to do the bidding of this billionaire. And as Natasha finds out more and more about her new ‘home’, she wonders if maybe jail would have been the better choice.

LOVED this book so much and cannot wait for the next installment. Just as with her previous series, Alyson Nöel wraps up enough of the story to satisfy, but leaves you wanting to know what is going to happen next. Grey Wolf Academy is a unique locale for a private boarding school. Plus what actually is happening at the school is amazing and incredible and such a fantasy with danger and intrigue.

You can’t go wrong reading any of this author’s books, but I found this one to be just what I needed.

This is one of those instances where I have to go, “It’s not you, it’s me.” The premise of this story was really neat—a remote boarding school on island for time travelers. Yeah, neat as hell. But it was the execution of the story that left me feeling very…meh.

I felt like we didn’t have enough time with Natasha pre-her getting swept away and off to boarding school. I didn’t know enough about Eloise through Natasha for there to be animosity between them. I grew tired of pitting girls against girls in this scenario but also throw in a handsome boy that the previous girl may have dated or have a crush on but now he’s with someone else and said girl is…jealous? I don’t know.

I didn’t feel fully immersed in the setting as well, especially in trying to grasp how big this place actually was. There are supposedly hundreds of people but Natasha is in such a niche environment and group. It also didn’t help that Natasha is supposed to (and does?) learn how to act in mid-1700s France and even speak French fully in a manner of months. I would have love to have followed her in her classes—any one of them because there are so many!—and see her fumble or falter or get confused here.

I wasn’t really into her relationship with Braxton either. It felt like of forced and just too obvious. I feel like I don’t really know any of the characters, and Natasha wants to paint Arthur in a bad light but even I’m not getting “bad” vibes from him. I simply don’t know enough to feel invested.

Also, we “learn” about the (real?) reason Natasha is there and it isn’t explored and Natasha doesn’t seem to give it any thought. I also found it rather surprising that she was able to remember many of the things her Father taught her even though he disappeared when she was around 9 years old. I mean, you’re talking some pretty complex things for a 9-year-old.

I also found the chapter breaks rather annoying. I usually don’t particularly complain about formatting but the way the chapters ended when they easily could she continued going for more pages threw me off a lot. It made the story seem choppy.

This book was very much intriguing, and very compelling. I however, didn’t enjoy the little romance subplot. I love elite school settings, and Noëls imagery made it all the better for me.

3,5 stars!

First off, that cover is GORGEOUS. Absolutely stunning. Stealing Infinity dives right into the story. It’s super fast paced, exciting and adventurous. You want to keep knowing what comes next while also trying to unravel the mysteries as Nat does.

Even though they are time traveling, I love that Alyson weaves quotes and philosophy throughout the book as well. The story had a super exciting premise and I love the direction that time-traveling takes in Stealing Infinity.

With the start of the book, I feel like the prologue gave away a lot more than is let on and I’m surprised it didn’t necessarily come to light in this book. I honestly expected the book to end with that bombshell. I’ll be very curious if we see it in future books with Nat and Braxton.

On the other side, I will say the ending wasn’t what I expected, however I also didn’t hate it. It’s not a cliff-hanger but it does leave you with lots of questions and wanting more. Super excited to see where Tasha and her journey goes!

I've strayed from YA lately, especially YA fantasy. Lacked the desire to read them, but always appreciate the gorgeous covers. That being said, I liked what was between the cover just as much!

Thanks to NetGalley for granting my wish to read this ARC, and this does not influence my review. Wow. Just wow. This was a paranormal dark academic book, with an enigmatic and mysterious academy containing many secrets. This enthralling book could be a sci-fi/dystopian blend. You guys. I’m serious when I say I’ve never read a book like this. The historical references, great quotes, and detailed writing about realistic objects, time, and reality that legit made me think the author was onto something. This was the first book I ever read that featured historical time traveling, was paranormal, and dark academic. The writing style was great, and I felt like I was actually the MC in the bad situations with time running out. Moving on to the romance, which was a fast burn (I don’t like those) but the mans was swoon worthy. I also absolutely adored the scene that <spoiler> contained sword fighting between both love interests </spoiler>. The tropes this book falls into are: guy falls first, time travel, and hate to love.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a fast paced, modern YA fantasy that I couldn’t put down! It contains time travel elements, which was really interesting! Natasha the main character was well written. She could be brave and cunning, yet at times maybe a little too naïve and trusting! I really liked Braxton as well! He was mysterious and kind to Natasha, but I’m worried he might be hiding too many secrets! After that ending, I can’t wait to see what will happen next in this exciting new series!!!