This title was just so much fun! It definitely delivered on the “gender swapped Aladdin retelling” that it promised with so many fun references and links. It was like rewatching the Disney movie in my head, with enough differences that kept it interesting.

I loved Ada. She is so relatable and real to me. It was such a nice change to read about a girl thief who isn’t the best in the world, she’s just a girl. A girl who pulled herself out of homelessness and is still dealing with the mental and emotional toll that her past has left her. A girl who is giddy at the thought of a beautiful boy and can’t stop thinking about him. All while constantly feeling the pressure of the lives at stake if she were to fail this quest. Her character was beautifully done and so refreshing.

Cyrus made me swoon. Constantly. While his storyline was definitely predictable, it was still a fun ride.

It did take a minute to fully invest, however. The beginning is full of descriptions of people and buildings and Ada’s internal monologue, so I did get a bit bored initially. But once she enters the palace and the competition starts, I couldn’t put it down.

Any fans of fairy tale retellings are sure to love this series, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!

Thoroughly enjoyable, captivating and engaging retelling of Aladdin. A little slow and unconvincing at the start but then the story takes off, growing in confidence and style. Will definitely buy for school and recommend to students.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Thief of Cahraman was quite enjoyable. Definitely got some vibes from previous books that I've read before as well. For example, Red Queen, The Selection, and a little bit of Hunger Games? Don't ask why I got that last vibe - I just randomly did.

Now since this is fairy tale book that has to deal with a golden lamp, you might think of Aladdin. You'd be correct because the MC is Adelaide.. the girl version of Aladdin basically. She's a thief that somehow gets kidnapped (lol) and given a mission to steal a lamp. This item is in the palace, where she now has to enter a competition and pretend to be a lady. Now do you get why I got those book vibes?

I will admit, I was a bit hesitant when the competition was brought into this book. Sometimes it works.. and other times it really doesn't. I definitely had my ups and downs with the competition in Red Queen and The Selection. So, I secretly hoped I wouldn't hate this one.

Surprisingly, I didn't hate this. Nope, I enjoyed everything about this book. Especially Adelaide, she was definitely refreshing. Other than that, the romance was okay but it wasn't my main focus. Which is weird.. because this whole competition is about winning the prince. Yet, I liked it but I was more into the competition and the characters instead.

Overall, I can't wait to dive into the next book - just to see what the heck is going to happen next! I have so many questions and theories!

In this book, a talented thief by the name of Adelaide is <i>whisked off</i> to Cahraman by an [unconfirmed] witch to steal a "golden lamp" from the palace, in exchange for the safe return of her family. And how does she get <i>in</i> to this palace, you might ask? Why, she's been entered into what is essentially The Selection, fighting for her chance to stay in the palace and thoroughly search it in order to get the lamp she so desperately needs... whilst every other female involved is fighting to win the hand/heart of the prince ;D

I absolutely <b>loved</b> this book from beginning to end. Whilst there are some definite parallels with The Selection, I really loved the differing take on the tale of Aladdin and thought that overall it was incredibly well put together; from the world building to the characters to the plots-within-plots. Plus, there's some obvious set-up in here for a Beauty and the Beast, or Cinderella retelling (or both) which I'm super excited to try ;D

Whilst there were some "plot twists" that were 100% obvious from the get-go (such as a certain... individual... *cough*) I found that I just legitimately enjoyed <i>everything</i> about it. Can't wait to continue with the series!

This book was incredible! This book fits the description of Aladdin meets the Selection perfectly! I couldn't put the book down and I was so upset when it ended because I just wanted to read more of it so I can't wait to read the next book. I would highly recommend this book as it was brilliant!

Link to my review on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2714491582

The cover of this book captured me and made me want to read this and it didn't disappoint at all. Retellings can be a hit or a miss and this one was definitely a hit. I loved the storyline, it was so interesting and it made me want to keep reading and the characters were all amazing.

Ada is a great character, I love how strong and fierce she is but also so loving for the people she cares for. I loved everything between her and Cherine and Cora, their bickering and friendship just made me smile and it was so genuine.

All the girls were very interesting, even the ones I disliked weren't written in a way I wasn't invested, even though I disliked them I still liked reading about them and their adventures.

And Cyrus what can I say, I love him he's so kind, I did the twist coming, it took me a bit but then I was like... what if.

Very good book, can't wait to read the second book and hopefully fall more in love with this series.

While a clever premise (gender-swapped Aladdin), the story and characters read as flat caricatures and the world-building was incomplete. It relied heavily on a kind of short-hand fairy tale world where I would have liked more detailed setting and more nuanced characters.

I did not expect a lot from this book but it really surprised me! I was immediately sucked into the story line and could not stop until the end. I really love books that immerse you into the story quickly and keep your attention.

I received this from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute book. I really enjoyed it. I love retellings and when you throw Aladdin in the mix, Yes! I want to ride the magic red carpet!

The book did start slow but I seen such great reviews I kept reading and I am so glad I did. The world in this book was magical and the authors writing was very smooth. The competition in this book was very well written. I did not have any trouble following the story line.

I think this is a great book to pick up.

In this gender swapped retelling of Aladdin we hear the story of a young woman, Adelaide, from the streets. She steals to survive and help her friends. When one day a beautiful sorceress enlists Adelaide's help in finding the fabled golden lamp. When our heroine tries to reject the job offer, the sorceress threatens the lives of her very best friends. Now Adelaide must parade around a palace pretending to be a noblewoman seeking the heart of the prince... when in reality she is going to steal from the crown.

So this one was such a pleasant surprise and this is one YA series that I definitely will be continuing on with.
I noticed a review of this on someone else's book blog their positive review was enough to persuade me to give it a chance and with it also being read now on NetGalley I was in luck.
I have a soft spot for Fairy-Tale retellings and this one really appealed to me mostly because Its Aladdin and I had never encountered this one retold before and also because it gender swopped the roles placing Adelaide as the thief.
So Thief of Cahraman was part of a trilogy and is told completely from Ada's POV it's an imaginative interpretation of Aladdin with enough differences that it wasn't predictable or boring at all and despite a somewhat slow start here when this did pick up I couldn't put it down.
Of course, I guessed where this was going and the twist the author puts on the story but did this bother me? hell no.
I was engrossed from start to finish and despite this being a clean YA and me being a middle-aged mum I really enjoyed this a lot.
I could also see the set up for other fairy tales within the given narrative definitely a beauty and the beast one that's for sure so I will certainly look forward to checking that out at a later date.
Also noticed a Cinderella story arc as well.
This one most definitely gets my seal of approval and I have already borrowed book two from Kindle unlimited so watch this space.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Thief of Cahraman (Fairytales of Folkshore #1)
All opinions ex

This book just wasn't my cup of tea. I was excited for a gender-bent retelling but found that it just didn't live up to my expectations. It was a very quick read and I found myself being swept away by Ada's adventure. The bride competition was my favourite part of the novel! It was very similar to 'The Selection' and I adored that aspect. I did, however, sometimes find myself overwhelmed by all the characters and having to reread certain passages. Ada was the most rounded out of all the characters, which is why the others sometimes blended into one another. The story was not only very predictable but it also ended rather abruptly, which is understandable as there is a second books, however this really bothered me. I felt as though I had been left with more questions than answers.

Thief of Cahraman book one
By Lucy Tempest
The Fairytales of Folkshore series starts with Adelaide in a charming retelling of Aladdin/The Selection.
First, may I say that I loved how the Author has laid out this book, giving us seek peeks of books to come like Ella who we meet in the start of the book.
Adelaide is what some would call a thief, but deep down she just dose what others refuse to do to survive and to help others who need it the most.
After living most of her life on the street without knowing what the day would bring, she is befriended by Bonnie, who invites her to live in a spare room at the Fairborn Families home, the two girls are quick to become friends even if Bonnie has a desire to adventure and Adelaide has the desire to find a home and family of her own.
all is well and Adelaide is just starting to think she has found her forever home, when a nock comes to the door of the Poison Apple Tavern one darkening night, a night that should have been filled with happiness, being the start of Saint Albans Festival, the two friends had been on there way to the bonfire.
A woman that looked like she must have been a lord’s wife or something in all her finery came to them asking for help, she had somehow gotten lost in the Horn Woods and she needed Adelaide to help her find a missing piece of her carriage.
Adelaide with her good heart but wise bearing was reluctant to go with her at first, but she looked like she was on the run and Adelaide new all to well that feeling, so Adelaide and the mysterious lady who’s name she finds out is Nariman head back into Horn Woods, most say the forest was haunted.
Nariman push’s her into a porthole that takes them faraway to a kingdom that she had believed was only a tale.
Now Nariman is holding Bonnie and her Dad Mr. Fairborn as a ransomed in exchange for a golden lamp that is hidden somewhere in the kingdom of Sun Stone.
But for Adelaide to get into said kingdom she must play a dangerous game for the hand of the coming king to be.
With more then her own life on the line she’s giving a time line and no way out, but how long came she last in a castle full of watchful eyes and hidden passages that leads to who knows where. Surely a thief would not last a day in a castle like this, let alone win the hand of her dream prince.
I found this book hard to put down and full of fun, I loved the portrayal of the kingdom and not to mention the endless dresses that shined out just as much as the characters in the book.
Review done By Eleanor E.

What a wonderful surprise this book was! I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher, drawn in by a stellar cover. This story moves along in a wonderful flow, settings transport, and I loved the characters’ development and voices. Such a lovely read! This is the kind of book that you hang onto for a future re-read.

It reminded me a lot of The Selection series so had a fairly predictable plot line, but that didn't stop me thoroughly enjoying this book!! I did like the twist with the Aladdin retelling and I thought it was clever how there are also links for some of the other Disney princesses in there. And I've already downloaded the next 2 in the series, looking forward to seeing where it goes next!!

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This review isn't going to be long. I'm not a huge fan of a review rehashing the entire plot and spoiling it for everyone.

I had a little trouble getting into this book. Once I got to chapter 3/4 I really started to enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much I purchaed the next book in the series.

Thief of Cahraman was one of the most creative fairy tale retellings I have ever read so far! I adored Adelaide! She was a strong protagonist. The rest of the characters were well-developed. There were a few things that I didn’t like about this book. The world-building was very confusing and needed more explanation. Also, I thought it should have ended better. Nevertheless, I’m excited to read the next two books in this trilogy to find out what happens to Adelaide. This is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Mass, Naomi Novik, and Marissa Meyer.

3.5/5 stars

Very engaging and I adored the focus and development of side characters, particularly Cora who was a real standout. My favourite scene was Ada saving Cherine on the cliff, it was very thrilling. I loved that Ada had practical skills and went out and fought for what she wanted without sitting by like the typical YA heroine. The only thing was I thought the Cyrus reveal was a little too obvious so it took away from the big plot reveal at the end but I still love Cyrus.

The best element of the story is definitely the complex female characters who show both good and bad qualities and do not need a man to complete their personalities. It's refreshing to see women portrayed in their many dimensions, as displayed in life. However, I did not feel a strong connection to Bonnie and her father as they were barely in the book so I didn't really care much about their disappearance which made it hard to connect and empathise with Ada's purpose. The pacing was also a little slow at times but this was somewhat redeemed by the interesting challenges that Ada refreshingly did not always have amazing talents to win which made it much more relatable.

A good start that definitely makes me want to continue the series but just didn't have the gripping element that keeps me hooked from page to page. Will continue this series and am excited to see what develops with the secondary characters, especially Cora!

ARC received in exchange for an honest opinion

Yaaaaay! This book was such a fun ride. You follow a young girl who is trying to turn her life around from her thieving days but gets drawn into a world where she has to win a very different kind of tournament.

This book is such a wonderful fairytale, it seems to be some sort of Aladdin retelling, but with a new refreshing twist.

Ada is such a fun clever character and Cyrus is Bae. They had all the chemistry lab experiments woven into their storyline and I just loved it.

My only real complaint and the reason the book only got 4 out of five stars and not the whole enchilada, is because I did feel at times that the dialogue and thoughts were quite modern and it did make me have to remember what kind of era this would have been set in. Also, the whole twist about the prince was very obvious, but then again I have read this type of story many a time. But this was still a great tread and I can't wait to see where things are going =)

I am not a big fan on YA books.
Saying that - I would recommend this book for a simply reason. Good writing and plot. I will continue to read following books because the first one was a good read. This book is based on a famous fairy tale Aladdin, but it has a sweet twist in it!