Thank you to NetGalley, M. K. Lobb, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for allowing me access to the e-arc.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would have liked to know more detail about the world. I liked the main characters but at times they felt two-dimensional. The magic system was interesting.

I would recommend it.

WOW what a wild ride this was! My first MK Lobb read and most definitely not my last!

I loved everything about this book, from the dynamic between Zaria and Kane to the pacing to the intrigue! I was left guessing at every turn, and was on the edge of my seat by the final page. Now I'm left grappling with the fact that I have to wait SO long for the next book!

To be honest, I realized I would not like To Steal From Thieves after the first few chapters. That said, I hate to DNF books that I request from publishing houses so I stuck this out.

In the end, there are two main reasons why this isn't the book for me.

First things first, I wanted magic. Since Zaria makes magical weapons, I was under the impression that she would encounter other alchemologists on her adventures. But, aside from mentions of her father and his assistant / partner (I can't remember her exact title), there's nobody else. What's the point of including magic in the story if it pops up so infrequently?

Then there's the "romance"...I've said this a million times, but I have no issue repeating it: main characters do not always have to fall in love with each other. Sometimes two people aren't compatible and that's totally fine. In this instance especially, I can't understand why these two would end up together.

The second Zaria starts working with Kane, her life is at risk. Kane only shows concern because Zaria has skills that benefit him. They're both using each other. I simply cannot accept that as the basis for a swoon-worthy romance.

Also, we have to talk about how Zaria and Kane are essentially the same person. They're both stubborn martyrs who seem to think they can save their friend all on their own. I didn't care for this, so since they're so similar, both characters annoyed me.

I initially picked up To Steal From Thieves because I love a heist novel. While the heist subplot did catch my attention, it was too short to distract me from the other elements I disliked.

Bottom line: This book stole time I won't get back.

Zaria Mendoza, an alchemologist whose illegal business is on the brink of collapse due to her father's death and gambling debts. An archeologist uses a piece of themselves and rare elements to make magical items. Desperate for funds to escape her life, Zaria reluctantly partners with Kane Durante. Kane is a thief of thieves and the adopted son of the dangerous Kingpin Ward. Kane has been tasked with stealing a priceless necklace from an exhibition at a London museum. He knows he needs Zaria's gift to help him steal it. They must learn to trust each other as there is trouble at every turn, and their romantic tension is brewing.

The book is a precarious balance between trust and self-preservation and how love can complicate personal ambitions and force characters to reevaluate their priorities. Both protagonists wrestle with moral compromises in their fight for survival. This struggle for survival is evident in the descriptions of the contrasted differences between the opulence of grand London and the slums, exaggerating the despair. It is a fast-paced story combining the refinement of historical fiction with fantasy intrigue. It keeps you on your toes and wondering who is outsmarting who or who is hunting both of them. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

To Steal from Thieves is an exciting, can't-put-down, high-stakes heist novel that is easily already one of my favorite books of 2025! Kane, an infamous conman, teams up with Zaria, a rare alchemologist, to steal one of the most sought-after treasures in the world. Unfortunately, they need to steal this priceless necklace from The Great Exhibition - a feat that is most likely impossible. And, while they need each other to successfully pull of this con, they are both secretly planning their own betrayals. As their partnership grows to something more, they realize that difficult choices will need to be made, and hearts may be broken.

I absolutely loved To Steal from Thieves! I've read M.K. Lobb's previous books, which I also thoroughly enjoyed, and was delighted to find that To Steal from Thieves is equally amazing. To begin with, the world building is excellent; Lobb does a fantastic job of balancing historical fiction with fantasy. The characters and the character development are next level. Zaria clearly struggles from the complex relationship she had with her late father. Now that she has taken his place and is responsible for his black-market choices (both good and bad), she finds herself barely keeping afloat. Kane, a fearsome presence who is willing to do anything for his father figure, struggles with his guilt and self-loathing. He also, more than anything, just wants his best friend to be free from the Kingpin's ownership. I really appreciated the authors focus on the friendships: Zaria/Jules and Kane/Fletcher. The story is told through the POVs of Zaria and Kane, which really allowed the reader to understand both characters, their worlds, and their relationships. The heist is super exciting with unexpected twists. The book does end on a huge cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to read the next book! To Steal from Thieves is an easy 5 stars, and I will be recommending it to anyone who loves a great heist and/or an exciting romantasy!

Great heist story sent in Victorian England mixed with a bit of magic. It follows alchemologist Zaria and con artist Kane, who must reluctantly work together to steal a priceless necklace from an exhibition. For Zaria pulling this job means getting out of the slums with her best friend and start a new life. For Kane it means setting his friend free from the clutches of the kingpin. I love the whole alchemy aspect, I wish there was more of it. The tension and banter between Zaria and Kane was excellent, I liked that we got chapters from both of their POV's too. Even thought it is YA, the characters read older by having live through so much at such a young age. The story is more character driven with the romance not being the center of it either, so if you're looking for something more romance heavy this might not be it, I enjoyed it very much nonetheless. That ending left me wanting more, I can't wait to see where the author takes this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

see while it seems super exciting to be approved to receive an arc for a heist book, in reality you finish that book and realise how long the wait for the sequel is going to be. or actually you don’t realise because book two hasn’t even been announced yet, and you’re still reeling from the cliffhanger ending and are trying to ignore the fact it’s likely to be over a year till you can go back into that world, but who really knOWs!!?

i liked the vibe of this book; reluctant allies planning to betray one another but also fantasising about kissing. always a winner. i thought the dual POV worked really well, particularly in the last 20% or so of the book when plans were being suitably imploded. switching between zaria and kane and seeing the way they anticipated and interpreted each other’s moves was fun.

i also enjoyed the moral ambiguity of pretty much all the characters, and after that ending am super excited to see how that continues to develop. villain arc here we come <3

i mentioned the kissing earlier, and while there is an enemies-to-lovers vibe going on, it is definitely not the focus of the book. this wasn’t an issue for me, and anyway who doesn’t love a slowburn romance developing over multiple books?? i for one can’t wait.

I’m OBSESSED!!! I was so surprised by how much I loved this book because, not gonna lie, my expectations were HIGH but the author still managed to surprise me. The romance and the main characters left me speechless, I literally can’t stop thinking about them since I finished reading. The heist part and the setting totally won me over too. Tbh this book has everything I love and MORE 😩💘

This is one of the best books I've ever read. This book hits so hard. The characters and the way with words M. K. Lobb has for the beautiful descriptions of literally everything. The atmosphere and the real raw emotions that the characters are feeling. First of all if you love when enemies to lovers ends up back to enemies you will be satiated. I have to be honest, I had to look up words because they were what would have been the old timey lingo in the era this is set in. I felt this worlds, smelt it, and saw it. And the story itself was so twisty and turny that I gasped out loud several times. I thought I was able to predict the ending and yet I was caught off gaurd. If you liked six of crows you will love this. If you liked the cloak and the dagger you will love this. If you also liked heartless hunter you will love this. This gives me everything I love plus a really heartbreaking love story gently woven in that will leave you starving for more. This needs to be out already so that way I can thrust it into everyone's hands whether they read or not. I'm excited to see what this author will write next and I hope I get the honor to read that one ass well. Thank you so much Netgalley for allowing the utmost pleasure of reading this book 2 months early.

Thank you for the eARC! This was such a good book. I adored the story and the writing. The characters were great and the story had really great pacing! I am excited to read more books by M.K Lobb

To Steal From Thieves is an incredibly immersive story! I immediately felt like I stepped into Victorian England with its advances in science, technology, and art, and the extreme divide between its rich and its poor. I loved the inclusion of the Great Exhibition and the Crystal Palace as the scene of the heist, and thought the author did a great job balancing historical fiction with fantasy.

I struggled a bit with the first half of the book due to its slow pacing, but with two distinct POVs to balance and flesh out, the story doesn’t suffer thanks to excellent character development. Kane and Zaria are two very distinct and different characters, but who are motivated by the same thing: the survival of their friends.

I appreciated the ADHD rep through Zaria and how she struggled to live up to her father’s reputation. Though he was present in her life, it’s clear she struggles from the indifferent behavior he showed her while alive, and continuously wonders why he taught her a magic that would eventually kill her the same as him.

Kane, on the other hand, is in constant internal conflict with his feelings of love and hate for the man who raised him. This relationship defines his entire character - wanting to rise above it and also knowing he is exactly the monster he was created to be. I emphasized so much with his self-loathing!

Although this story is about a heist and a magic system based on alchemy, I would hesitate to classify it as plot-driven action novel. This story is defined by its characters and their relationships with one another. It’s about survival and betrayal and their internal and external conflicts. The ending was thrilling and I’m excited to see what happens in the sequel, including learning more about Zaria’s potential and her magic. This story is perfect for lovers of historical fantasy with character-driven plots, reluctant allies to enemies, and unique magic systems. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book!!! Lobb is a master, not only at crafting an engaging and entertaining story, but at doing so with descriptions that will sometimes take your breath away. I loved every page of this magical heist with reluctant enemies to lovers energy and fiercely loyal friendships. The unique approach to magic was very clever and the careful give-and-take between the two main characters as they try to gain trust in their rocky partnership was well balanced. The historical setting felt so immersive and I loved the subtle threads of highlighting social injustice and economic inequity. I felt like there was some really well done ADHD rep that was subtle, too (or maybe I’m projecting? Either way, I felt seen!). This book was a page turner and I have already placed my pre-order! Can’t wait for it to hit shelves in March!

DNF

To Steal from Thieves was one of my most anticipated young adult releases of the new year. I'm never one to shy away from a good heist storyline nor an unconventional team-up, which Thieves promised bound together in a historical fantasy setting with a dash of romance to top it all off. There's a lot going for this, the two main characters, Kane and Zaria were intriguing and I like what we got from them as M.K. Lobb set up their team-up and the broader heist storyline. The particulars of alchemology and Zaria's underground business was another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed. What didn't work for me was the pacing which unfortunately held back the narrative and didn't leave any room for me to get in deep with the worldbuilding and the intersecting players. Pacing is almost always a determinant of my enjoyment of a book and I found myself struggling to wade through the first third of this. Ultimately I made the decision to put it down and I may give it another try in the future. To Steal from Thieves has many strong beats that will resonate with the historical fantasy audience and anyone interested in heists, alchemy-based magic, or romance.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I enjoyed this so much! I love historical fiction, particularly fun alternate history takes. Then just throw in the word "heist" and I'm there. In this novel, con artist Kane and inventor Zaria team up to steal a priceless necklace, but each fully plans to stab the other in the back and keep the necklace for themselves. This is sort of an AU of London; the necklace is an exhibit at the Great Exposition of 1851, Queen Victoria is still queen, the Irish Potato Famine still occurred, but in this universe, magic exists! It's dangerous and largely outlawed, existing as a tool to be bought and used by the criminal underbelly of the city.

This novel is YA, but it's also dark and gritty. Kane and Zaria both have tragic backgrounds and are forced into lives of crime to survive. There's social inequality, poverty (such was London during industrialization), violence, extortion, and murder. Our MCs do unsavory things. Kane in particular was a painful character: a nice boy forced to be a bad one due to circumstances and abuse.

On the one hand, I feel like the romance between Kane and Zaria wasn't necessary and sparked kind of suddenly. On the other hand, I was actually into it? It was toxic -- obviously!! they're plotting to betray one another -- but it never veered into instalove or instabonding or anything like that. It stayed full of mutual tension and distrust until the explosive end.

The only "pure" relationships were the familial friendships between Zaria and Jules and between Kane and Fletcher, though those also have their fair share of secrets and lies. I'm honestly not sure how we're going to get a happy ending in the sequel, particularly with this book's ending, but I am seated for it.

Also loved the 1800s slang "cop a mouse." Definitely had to look that one up!

4.25⭐
Kane, a con artist, comes across Zaria, and alchemological inventor, as part of a job and he's realized she may be just the person he and Fletcher need to pull off a job for the kingpin, Ward. Zaria, desperate to get her and her friend, Jules, out of Devil's Acre, agrees to help Kane with the theft, hoping this is their ticket out of London. This heist of the Great Exhibition involves since very high stakes, but can either of them really trust the other one?

I'm grateful to learn that this is a duology, because that ending was criminal. This is a YA heist novel with reluctant allies, intentions to double cross, Victorian London with magic, and a morally grey love/hate interest. You get dual POV from Kane and Zaria. Would love to see a bit more about how the magic system works, but I'm ready to follow these characters into the second book.

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book is due to be published 3/25/25. I'll be posting on Instagram closer to publication.

Wow! I loved this book! A magical heist count me in. Both Kane and Zaria are trying to get their best friends out of London and the current lives their living so they team up to steal a necklace while both planning on double crossing each other. You can’t trust thieves. The plot was fun! The characters I loved. I’m so impatient for the next book and this one isn’t even out yet!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc

As always, Lobb delivered a masterfully crafted story full of adventure, danger, pining, and twists leaving you desperate for the next page. The morally gray characters are so much fun to love and hate at the same time. Kane Durante is the dangerous black market boy with blood on his hands. Zaria Mendoza is a powerful girl with the ability of archemology. Together they are a disaster waiting to happen as they plan a heist to steal from a well-guarded gallery. The worldbuilding and subtle magic set in old London was so fun to delve into and, as usual for Lobb, had a dark price to pay. The slow burn enemies to lovers to enemies was delicious and I cannot wait for more of Kane and Zaria in the sequel. Kane is added to my top favorite characters list, alongside Lobb’s Damien Venturi. This magical heist book is perfect for fans of Six of Crows and A Tempest of Tea. If I could read this book forever, I would.

Thank you Little Brown Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my one. An exciting adventure! Zaria has been stuck with making magic for all the commissions her father left when he died. The problem is that making this magic inventions takes from her soul. And will eventually with her away until she too passes. She’s determined to get her and her best friend Jules out of Devil’s Acre before that happens. Kane has been tasked with acquiring a necklace by Ward, the Kingpin of Devil’s Acre. Ward’s like his adopted father, though that doesn’t mean Kane loves him. He finds Ward despicable but he does what he has to in order to keep his best friend Fletcher alive. When his miscalculations get him in more trouble with Ward he’ll have one chance to get the necklace, too bad that’s at the Great Exhibition that will be crawling with people. It’ll be near impossible to steal from there. He’ll need someone who can use magic. He’ll need Zaria. Too bad that’s neither trusts the other and each will do what it takes to reach their own goal. With a fragile bond and their best friends they’ll seek to steal a pressure artifact right from everyone nose. Things grow more complicated by the thoughts they have of one another. Will they succeed? Can Kane and Zaria save their loved ones? I enjoyed the magic system and the risk for users! I loved both Zaria and Kane and their desire to not only get out of their situations but to save and protect their best friends! Fast paced and will suck you in! Complex feelings and emotions, betrayal, and determination make this a thrill ride! And the ending!!!! I cannot wait to see what happens next and we still have a bit before this one hits shelves!

***3.5 stars rounded up***
Wow, this was interesting! I loved MKL’s previous duology and so I was so eager to see what she would do with an enemies-to-lovers heist.
What I loved:
• The heist was simple enough to follow (perhaps too simple though? For any SOC lovers, this might be sliiightly underwhelming). But it’s solid in my opinion.
• Kane is definitely a book boyfriend of 2025! And Zaria’s character is certainly alluring. I love that it’s dual-POV, and they were defo multi-layered.
• The tension! The enemies-to-lovers dynamic!

What I didn’t love:
• I’m 50-50 with the heist - I would’ve liked for it to have more substance.
• The ending’s execution was too rushed for my liking
• There were slight slogs BUT I’m interested enough to preorder the sequel.