4⭐️

“Kissing Kane was not gentle. It was grasping fingers and bruising touch and the delicate skim of teeth. It was vicious collision and fury in the space between breathless gasps. It was the heady scent of smoke and the dizzying absence of all rational thought.”

I’ll never see the word “coward” the same again. IYKYK 😉

To Steal from Thieves by M.K. Lobb is a young adult historical fantasy novel set in an alternate Victorian-era London, where crime and alchemy collide. It follows two skilled thieves who must navigate a web of secrets, deception, and danger as they attempt an ambitious heist that could change their lives forever.

What a delectable read! TSfT has one of the best uses of dual points of view I have seen. Zaria and Kane have distinct and intriguing voices, making it enjoyable to be in either of their narratives.

The plot is super fun, entertaining, fast-paced, and emotional at times. The banter between Zaria and Kane is sexy and scrumptious!

I thoroughly enjoyed the crimes-ridden London setting. Lobb establishes it very well through her detailed exposition. It strikes an ideal balance between realism and fantasy. The setting then adds the perfect backdrop to Lobb’s alchemological magic system. It is unique and logical, making it easy to understand and believable from the start.

Lobb has THANKFULLY confirm this is a duology and there will be a sequel! This is perfect, because the book ended on quite a dramatic cliffhanger.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this complimentary ARC ebook copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Give me Anastasia and Dmitri in a world where she's an alchemologist who can make magical objects and he's an adopted son of a kingpin in turn-of-the-century London and they must work together to steal a valuable artifact while trying to figure out if they must double cross the other to achieve their dreams and you got this book. I had so much fun reading this and it ends on a devil of a cliffhanger.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the ebook!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

A fav quote: “Just because you have not done something doesn’t mean you are incapable of it.”

Book 1 in Thieves and Kings involves Kane and Zaria working together to steal a necklace. With their best friends Fletcher and Jules also joining the heist. The synopsis was what made me request this book and i was not disappointed. I enjoyed reading it so much that i needed my physical copy. Two things i loved the most was the friendship between the main characters with their best friends. To see what each main character was willing to do for their loved ones. I also loved the build up between Kane and Zaria. With the dual POV i was able to see how each one felt. The “Miss Mendoza” got me every time! The build up between them felt realistic to me and i can’t wait to see more of that in book two. It took me a little to understand how the magic worked but i understood it later. I also wish to see more continuing the duology. The story finished in a cliffhanger and was a surprise. Will be waiting for the next book! Overall loved it and i definitely recommend!

kane durante likes to work alone, but when his boss gives him the impossible task of stealing a priceless artifact from the great exhibition, he knows he’ll need help to pull off this heist. he teams up with zaria mendoza, the daughter of one of london’s greatest alchemologists, who has been struggling to keep her underground business afloat following her father’s death. robbing such a public and well-guarded building will be nearly impossible, especially when feelings of love and betrayal are thrown into the mix, but the two are determined to pull this off.

i loved m.k. lobb’s seven faceless saints duology, so i was very excited when i heard she had another book releasing this year! i love heist novels, as well, so i was very interested in seeing how this one played out. sure enough, i really enjoyed this book! the plot was interesting enough, but i also loved the characters. kane and zaria were such a great duo, and there were some secondary characters i enjoyed, as well. i’m so excited to see where the story goes in book two!

“To Steal from Thieves” is a thrilling historical fantasy. Kane must commit an impossible heist. Zaria creates magical artifacts in the dark market. They are both desperate to escape their despondent circumstances and will do anything to protect their closest friends. Even if it means betraying eachother. The writing style was beautiful and immersive. I’m excited to see how this story continues in the next installment!

For those who enjoy:
💎Victorian London
💎Gaslit Fantasy
💎The Great Exhibition
💎Heist
💎Morally Gray
💎Reluctant Allies to Lovers
💎Found Family

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

To Steal from Thieves is a fast-paced and enjoyable heist adventure. Our protagonists Kane and Zaria reluctantly team up to undertake a heist for a necklace that is more than it appears. I enjoyed the magic system that M.K. Lobb created, where magic comes with a dangerous price. At times I struggled with the connection between Kane and Zaria as it felt a bit underdeveloped. I’m looking forward to seeing their development continue in book two and learn how they navigate the betrayals and double-crossing. Readers who seek a fast-paced YA heist book will want to check this out!

Thank you so much to M.K. Lobb, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TO STEAL FROM THIEVES is M. K. Lobb's third published book, and I am here for all of it. It is an ambitious novel, not only in what the characters experience but in who they are. Ms. Lobb takes familiar tropes and skews them ever so slightly. In doing so, she creates two characters who seem familiar at a surface level but are so different underneath as to be new and fresh. The heist, the characters, the chemistry, the magic - each element of the story is stellar in its own right. Together, they combine to make an explosive story that lingers in your memory.

There is maturity to the writing that makes the novel feel more like a new adult or adult novel rather than a young adult one. Zaria and Kane may be young, but they are so very old in experience, loss, and jadedness. You feel the tiredness of their souls through the pages, and it becomes very easy to forget that these two are still in their teens. Ms. Lobb reminds you of their true ages from time to time, but such reminders serve to drive home the sense of heartache you, as the reader, feel at everything they have and must still endure.

Zaria and Kane are the perfect foils, and Ms. Lobb pits them against each other with skill. The chemistry between them smolders quietly but steadily, exploding out in one scene that had me mentally standing in applause, before dying back down to hide underneath the surface once more. This heightens the tension of the entire novel, which is saying something since the story already has built-in tension from the planned heist and the threat that hangs over Kane regarding the heist's success.

Ms. Lobb excels at highlighting the duality of any society, and in TO STEAL FROM THIEVES does so with a clarity that is disturbing in its honesty. From the slums of Devil's Acre to the gated luxury of Hyde Park, Ms. Lobb presents one of the most vivid portraits of the poor in Victorian England I've ever read. Life in the slum was one of abject misery and hopelessness, made worse by the fact that the upper class lived only a few blocks away. Zaria's struggles to adjust to the dichotomy of the two areas, so close in geography but so far apart in every other aspect that matters, and no wonder. Her reaction is not just a point of empathy between the character and the reader; it also feels like a pointed nod to the ever-increasing disparity between the haves and the have-nots in modern society. This is just one of the many ways in which TO STEAL FROM THIEVES is historically accurate and yet very much in tune with the lived experiences of today's reader.

TO STEAL FROM THIEVES ended way too quickly for me, and yet I wouldn't have it end any other way. I love a story where the idea of good and bad doesn't exist, and by the time you turn the last page, there is nothing but moral greyness over every aspect of the story. The ending is something of a cliffhanger, but it doesn't leave you in shock so much as in despair - at what could have been and what is. All you can do now is cheer Ms. Lobb on as she works to finish the second book as quickly as possible. Thankfully, Zaria and Kane and their shared and individual stories are going to stick with me for a long time to come and should hold me until that second book hits its release date.

Nothing more exciting than heists and reluctant allies who reluctantly are attracted to the other in an almost forbidden romance kind of way. What I enjoy about Lobb's characters are they morally grey with absolute validation for why they are that way. They are fleshed out and understood in their actions, even if their decisions aren't on the good side of a moral compass they are believable. The pacing on this was a little clunky, with action and explosions but then slower sections, but ideally I think it would have benefitted from being longer to develop the relationships more. The setting of exhibition London was perfect, adding a steampunk vibe to the gangster-riddled urban streets and I appreciate the historical references Lobb pulls from and brings to life in her stories. The side characters were well-rounded and pulled this crew together well. I appreciate the ending not being a cut and dry, wrap it in a pretty bow but instead staying as complicated as the dynamics that were established throughout the story. After all, you can't trust a con artist or those who try to con them.

Loved this like I knew I would. I waited for this moment when I would finish it. It was brilliant. Highly recommend 10/10

To Steal from Thieves is an historical fantasy heist following two morally grey and desperate characters forced reluctant allies as they are forced to work together for a big, dangerous job. The beginning of this book does a good job of introducing our characters and who/what is important to them (both side characters are delightful), but it takes too long setting this up before we get to the actual heist. While the characters were interesting on their own, I found it hard to buy their chemistry. While these are little things compared to the overall plot, they did hamper my enjoyment of the novel.

This does end on a cliffhanger, which makes me more excited for book two, where I hope some of the pacing issues are resolved and we get more development of the main character's chemistry.

If only this wasn’t YA I would have loved it so much more! The high stakes were fantastic, but I struggled with the pacing. And I do really wish Zaria and Kane’s chemistry was a little bit more than what it was.

I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint! I really think it reminded me of Indiana Jones but just a little cooler. Loved the characters, the banter and the romance. I am excited to read more from this author.

ARC REVIEW: To Steal From Thieves is a YA historical fantasy by MK Lobb that is out TODAY. Set in London against the Great Exhibition of 1851, it follows Kane Durante, charming conman and adopted son of a crime lord, and Zaria Mendoza, a young woman with the rare (and illegal) ability to create objects imbued with magic. Kane and Zaria—along with their closest friends—reluctantly team up to pull off a heist which has the ability to make or break them both (for Kane that means getting his BFF away from their life of crime and for Zaria it means escaping London/the crushing debt she inherited from her father with her own BFF). A partnership borne out of desperation and deceit soon evolves to one of mutual respect and attraction, further complicating a situation in which only one of them will truly be able to succeed.

This was my first novel by MK Lobb and I really enjoyed it. Although seemingly different, Kane and Zaria are, in many ways, kindred spirits. Both had childhoods in which they were essentially left unprotected/betrayed by the adults in their lives. Both dream of a different life for themselves but view it as impossible and so instead focus on trying to save the individuals closest to them at any cost. The difference is that Zaria is a bit more honest with her BFF where Kane keeps secrets from literally everyone—ultimately to disastrous effect. Because the reader gets both Kane and Zaria’s POV, we know the secrets they are keeping from one another (and in Kane’s case from everyone around him) and watching them get closer is like watching a slow moving car crash. And yet when everything comes to a head, it is still shocking and tragic—a testament to a job well done by Lobb here. That cliffhanger was something else! I am definitely looking forward to seeing how Lobb moves the story forward in the next book.

Thanks to Little, Brown Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this set of characters but I so wish this series was adult and not YA. Kane deserved an adult book to truly be his best terrible self. My biggest thing with this book was the ending. I just felt like it should have had more room to develop and play out. I now know that theres going to be another book which definitely makes me feel better but I just wanted MORE. There was a lot of time given to building the animosity between them which I know was probably necessary for the next book but I definitely wanted more development throughout the story. This author is a genuine favorite of mine so i’ll keep reading her books but im hoping for more in the next one!

Heist book! This was so much fun and so hard to put down. I was a fan of Lobb's from her previous duology, but this newest book really took it to the next level. Kane was giving Kaz Brekker at points and I absolutely ate it up. More sad, tortured, competent boys in fiction! Speaking of hot, competent people, Zaria is a top-notch main character. The two of them on the page leaped out at me with all their dreams and pain and I immediately was rooting for both of them even though they are at cross purposes for most of the book.

This is a fantasy book with magic but it is also grounded in real life locations and time periods, set during the Great Exhibition in London. Both Kane and Zaria have their own reasons for wanting to break into the Crystal Palace and steal the target, a necklace that may be more than meets the eye. Still, they have to work together and I loved their banter and internal monologues as they get closer while still planning to betray each other.

The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which means we have more books in this series and I am absolutely going to pick them up. Lobb is such a talented writer who seems to just be getting better with each book. If I had any complaints it would be that I would want more information on the magic system and also the two best friends in the book, Fletcher and Julian. They mean so much to the main characters but I feel like we don't know anything about them or why that loyalty means so much so I am hoping we get more information about them in the next installment.

If you like heists and cool magic systems with tortured characters who can't help but have feelings for one another, then absolutely pick this up.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little Brown for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book blew my socks off.

A heist set in 1800s London, in a world with steampunks/gaslamp elements and magic that is both illegal and horrible to use? How could I not be obsessed from the first page! And that's not even mentioning the deliciously tense romantic threads woven throughout.

Kane and Zaria are both such fun characters - both are damaged and tired and scrabbling for a better life for the ones they love. They are both brutal and willing to do anything to get what they want, and are totally unapologetic about it. And their anger! I love it when characters are properly filled with rage, and use it as their basis for all their choices.

In this story, there are reluctant allies forced to work together towards a common goal; there are betrayals and double and triple crosses; there's heartbreak and angst; and plenty of people behaving badly. And that ending!! I was screaming at how it set up the next book, and I can't wait to read it. I had so much fun reading this.

3.5 stars for me! I enjoyed this book, but did find it particularly slow in the beginning. The book ends on a wonderfully intriguing note though…

The characters in this book were really quite dynamic, in my opinion. Although it was a little cookie-cutter in the way that both the female and male leads has a best friend that they would do anything for. These characters were actually really great though. I especially loved Fletcher! Despite this, I think it also added so much to the connection Zaria and Kane eventually felt for each other. It was interesting seeing their attraction unfold in a different and more realistic way, for 19 year olds anyway.

The setting is gritty and the author does a good job at capturing that sense of hopelessness on both ends of the spectrum through Zaria’s circumstances and Kane’s predicament.

For me though, I found the build-up to the heist too slow. I think the actual heist only takes up about 25% of the book, maybe even less. I would’ve liked to have had more scenes with the whole gang— Zaria, Jules, Kane and Fletcher. I also think this story would’ve benefited more from an active first person perspective, rather than the ominous third person perspective. It did add a bit of mysteriousness to the story, but overall, there were times I just found the narrative to drag on a bit. The characters had such complex inner turmoils, that it would have been more interesting to read in first person.

Thank you so much for letting me read an advanced copy of this book!

The easiest five star rating!!

——-

“Hate me,” Kane might have told her, had honesty been a feasible thing just then. “Hate me so that we both know what it is to feel something.”

——-

THIS BOOK. I couldn’t put it down - it had me on the hook from start to finish! I LOVE a good heist story, and this one gave me everything I wanted and more.

You have thieves, underground criminal empires, angst, BANTER (such good banter), tension, forbidden romance, subtle illegal magic - I fell in love with these characters and their journey.

All of our characters start off in hopeless situations of various kinds, and this book explored gut wrenching decisions and the desperate attempt at clawing out of the darkness. There is so much gravity in the decisions made along the way. Do we escape the darkness or become the darkness? Or does one lead to the other.

There wasn’t a moment where I was bored with this story. I was eating up every chapter.

I cannot WAIT to see where this story goes, and I will definitely be picking up other works by this author! What a fun adventure this was!!

——-

I do thank the publisher and author for the chance to sneak in an early read of this book, but the opinions and rating expressed here are entirely my own!

This book was fantastic! The atmospheric writing and witty dialogue had me fully invested from the very beginning. MK Lobb makes her characters easy to love, but especially Zaria and Kane. They're so incredibly well-developed and have unique voices as the chapters go back and forth between them. The side characters are equally as fleshed-out, and I found myself with far too many that I loved for a high stakes heist book. The magic system was also so deeply interesting and created a combination of real world and fantasy worldbuilding that I always love. I'm dying for the second one, and I'm not sure I'll be able to recover from that ending. To Steal From Thieves is an easy five stars for cover, content, voice, characters, all of it.

LOVED IT! This historical magical realism with fantastic twists and turns has all the adventure, suspense, and enemies to lovers romantic vibes that YA readers will love. I've never read MK Lobb before, and now I'm going to go back and catch up on her backlist because I enjoyed her writing so much. She's really, really good.

This is a fast-paced heist novel that takes place during London's Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851. In this world, magic exists in the underworld as a specialized trade performed by alchemologists. But for every piece of magic, a price must be paid. Eighteen year old Zaria Mendoza lives a desperate life of poverty in a London slum. The orphaned daughter of an alchemologist forced to pay for all of her father's sins, she struggles to fulfill dozens of dark market magical commissions accepted by her father in the months leading up to his death. But her source of magical power is waning as she uses more and more of her soul to create the energy required. When she is approached by Kane Durante, the ruthless second in command to a villainous kingpin, who needs her magical abilities to help him steal a priceless necklace from the Exhibition, she accepts the deal as her only real chance to escape London for good.

The story follows Kane and his best friend, Fletcher, Zaria, and her best friend, Jules, as they plan the heist, and their attempts to double and triple cross each other as the stakes get higher and more dangerous over the course of the narrative. I loved the magic system, and how it was utilized in the heist. I loved all of the characters who had rich back stories and unexpected depths as their loyalties to one another are tested. All of the characters are clever, intelligent, and honorable in their own ways, and I enjoyed all of their interactions. I thought the banter was quick and smart. The psychology of Kane's complex and toxic relationship with his adopted father and mentor, Ward, is well done.

The ending of the book was perfect, and I can't wait to read the sequel. I'm rooting for Kane and Zaria, of course, and I want Fletcher to find happiness and love. I would actually be interested in reading an entire book about Fletcher!

Thanks NetGalley and Little Brown for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this review.