So what did I like? The world building was solid. The writing was also solid. I kept reading, even if it was in the hopes of a grand heist. I did like the swordsman, and wished the book gave us more on him. I was genuinely sucked in to the world. It transported me. And perhaps that's the book's great failing - this was not where I wanted to be right now. This book was not a fun escape, at least not right now.

If you're in the mood to explore the more destitute and desperate sides of a fantasy Italy this may be your jam. If you're hoping for a fast paced caper this is not the book for you.

n the beginning, I had some highs and lows with this book, I was so intrigued by the world, it is a sort of pre-renaissance Italy-based thing and it strongly reminded me of the Tethered Mage book, in a good way. And Romy and il Padronè are two interesting characters, I was so intrigued!
Then we have a scene that reminded me, this time in a wrong way, of the Kushiel’s series (the good way “has the same vibes of… it calls to mind this or that, wrong way “it seems a draft of… “) and I started to turn up my nose. And then we get Neri on the scene, and for a moment here I was quite tempted to just be done with them all and forget about the book.

But I am glad I didn’t do it because after some adjustment I really started to enjoy the book again. Neri, Romy’s brother, won’t be my favorite character ever, that’s for sure but in the beginning, I wanted to throttle him every time he opened his mouth, while by the end of the book I was almost reluctantly fond of him. To be completely honest, I strongly disliked Neri for a good chunk of the book because he is self-absorbed and he acts dumb, to be kind, so he is just a kind of character I tend to dislike on sight, but what really damned him was that I have a pet peeve with sisters in books, because I really really hate when we get a sister (usually the older one, but it is not a given) that has to sacrifice everything for her other sisters. And this was the first time I encountered this exact same dynamics with a sister and a brother, but my annoyance at it is high as ever. And to see Romy, who was so poorly treated by her family (magic is a death sentence, I get it but they were just despicable and bad and awful with her!), creating a good life for herself, one way above what she was expecting to get, a comfortable and exciting life (I am not saying that her life was perfect, or that every girl should dream about it or else. Il Padronè sounds like a mighty intriguing character, and all things considered even a good man, or as good as he can permit himself to be, and working for him could be so interesting, sure, but maybe not the best career choice ever. But she managed to make a good life for herself, and the most important thing is that even if she has a dark and painful past, she was happy!!) and then seeing her cast off for her brother’s sake was so hurtful. And so annoying! So yeah… I think you can see why I was so mad at Neri and why I wanted to throttle him at every turn!

And Neri grew on these pages, and I am always in for personal growth so at least there is that. But I was talking about Romy. She is resourceful and capable, and strong and she won’t let herself despair, ever. She is an amazing young woman who won’t let life beat her. She always finds a way to get on her feet, she is not scared of hard work and she will do what needs to get done. I admired her. And it is heartwarming to see her getting on her feet again, and finding new allies, even if mismatched ones. But mismatched allies can be the best ones, and they all were interesting characters! I really hope to see them around in the next books, because it is true that Remy really stole the scene for everyone, but they all are interesting characters with the heart in the right place, and even if they may be scared by the consequences, because they are not stupid, they would try their best to do the right thing, and this is an amazing thing!

Another great thing about this book is the worldbuilding. It has, as I said before, strong pre-renaissance Italian vibes, and it is quite a dark place, where magic is seen as the worst thing ever (or almost so) and where political intrigues flourish. And I love political intrigues!!

I really enjoyed reading An Illusion of Thieves and can't wait to read more from this author.

In this story (synopsis), A ragtag crew with forbidden magic must pull off an elaborate heist and stop a civil war in An Illusion of Thieves, a fantasy adventure from Cate Glass. In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence.

Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy's aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life—and the price is her banishment.

The description itself is captivating and once you start reading you cannot put the book down until the very end. Great job!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a little slow at times, but the adventure soon swept up the pace! It was an interesting combination of intrigue, magic, heartache and the will to do good for the benefit of all!

Magic and sorcerer. As a fantasy reader, am familiar with both and still can't get enough of it. And I promise you, An Illusion of Thieves is truly remarkable! Well-written with spellbinding story and unusual crew brought together not just by fate but also political intrigues.

I must say, I avoided this book in favor of reading other books. I knew it had been sitting in the corner of my Kindle library for a while but I didn't have an urge to read it yet, until this January. And I regret why I didn't pick it up sooner.

Reading the first few chapters of this book is like being thrown into some mysterious and unknown place. With little description of the world, the story kicked off with a nice trouble. I liked that because sometimes it can be a bit tiring at the first chapters of books where we are being introduced to a different world and characters through long and detailed paragraphs. That's not the case with this book. The story goes on and I'm left with my own guesses about how it all works.

It doesn't matter because I got the hang of it quickly and be made to wonder about the magic system. It was entirely different to what I initially thought. Each talent is special and more than the eye. Different and unique, also I could see a possibility of it to be explored into something bigger by the gifted. If you love magic, you'll love this book.

I love the characters! They're so distinct from each other yet made a great dynamic. Also, though there were not that many romance scenes, I'm a sucker for it! Since there were only here and there, I fallen deeper into it and wished for more romantic parts 🥺

Overall, An Illusion of Thieves was a hidden gem for me! I enjoyed it so much, reading the last chapter hurt me more than I anticipated 😭 Yes, there isn't much going on in the beginning, but when you reached half of it, you'll experience the real danger. It was nerve-racking really, those climax scenes were something else.

This book is for you who enjoys going for a dangerous quest with your trusted companions. This book is for you who enjoys adventure. This book is for you who values honesty and friendship.

An enchanting tale of mistakes made, falls from grace, forbidden magic, and an adventurous scheme to prevent a war that could slaughter them all. Ms. Glass weaves an intricate story full of vibrant descriptions and flawed characters with gorgeous use of language and pacing.

Despite them selling her off to a pleasure house to become a courtesan at a young age, Romy puts everything she has worked for and loved on the line when she begs her noble master to save her family who are to be maimed and destitute because of a petty mistake by her young and impetuous brother. The result is exile from the life she known and back into the rough streets she grew up in.

But Romy has more than just an unseemly past buried deep in her mountain of secrets. She has magic. Magic that has been banned and all it's practitioners destroyed for centuries. Magic the allows her to rewrite people's memories. Magic that lets her headstrong brother walk through walls.

The political intrigue in this tale kept be reading far into the night. The words were witty and flowed harmoniously while the action secenes were entertaing and quick paced.

I can say with all honesty that I dearly hope there will be a sequel to this as I still have a few unanswered question.

Special thanks to NetGally and the publisher for granting a digital copy in return for an honest review.

This was so interesting a concept? I was very much drawn in by the characters and heists! Magical heists! Which are so my cup of tea. I did also very much enjoy the relatively positive portrayal of life for sex workers as well.

There was a lot of potential here and some aspects that I particularly enjoyed, but I felt that overall, it just fell a little flat for me. It tells the story of Romy and her brother, Neri, both of whom can use magic - unfortunately, magic is considered demonic in their kingdom. Placed in an impossible situation, the siblings must recruit others to help them pull off a daring scheme. I really liked the setting for the book, being clearly Roman inspired and I thought that Cate Glass did a pretty good job of world building. What was a little lacking for me was the plot, or more specifically, the pacing of the plot. The majority of the book is set up and then the final third feels rushed and a little anti-climactic as a result, which is a shame. I thought both siblings were a little one-dimensional, however I did enjoy the supporting characters. Overall, I think this is a reasonably solid book, but it had the potential to be a really great one. I hope that the next book in the series manages to capture some of the magic that I think is lurking beneath the surface and I will definitely be reading it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

2.5 stars

DNF @ 33%

I think my expectations of this book and what it is in reality weren't lining up and that was the main problem here. I was expecting something more action-packed or at least more scheming involved. It is done at such a pace though that it feels more slice of life-- which is weird for a fantasy novel. It felt like Romy was building a family and gaining friends in a hospitable place. This isn't at all the book I was hoping to read.

I do see other reviews saying it picks up and becomes a heist novel, but the pacing to get there -- to build their team (since I'm assuming that is what is going on where I left off) was taking much too long for my liking. I was beginning to become annoyed with the characters as well. Neri acts much younger than he is and Romy's pining over the Shadow Lord felt more like hero-worship for a "better of two evils" type of person.

The slow build up and diving into the characters and the world-building might work perfectly for others though.

"Where did the true evil lay? In the intent, or in the magic itself, or in the soul that made use of magic?"

An Illusion of Thieves was a tough book to rate. Up until about 91% of the book I still wasn't sure what I was going to rate it, but then the ending happened and I had my mind made up for me quite quickly.

I'm not going to lie, going into this I thought it was a YA book, but very early on it was made quite clear that this was an adult book. There is a fair bit of brutality in this book and an open-minded approach to the life of a courtesan. Obviously there is a lot of grey area to touch on when there is a story about a courtesan who has developed a strong 'relationship' with the man she is courtesan for, because it opens up the discussion of master/owner and is there really room for a relationship to grow within those confines.

This book has very little romance, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's an intriguing thing. I liked the magic within the story and am looking forward to seeing how it develops even further in the sequel. The family dynamics was also written genuinely and showed genuine struggles which allowed me to connect with the MC and her brother.

If I had to describe Romy in one word I would go with intriguing. There is more than meets the eye with Romy and I don't think we've seen all she has to offer yet. I liked how she was a strong, intelligent woman who made the best of whatever she was made to endure. There are definitely cracks starting to show with how much she has had to go through throughout her life, so I am interested to see how the author goes about this, whether she patches it up or lets it all fall apart.

TW: Hints of sexual abuse of children, physical abuse of children, sexual assault, derogatory talk about sex workers, catcalling, dubious consent

I love fantasy, particularly YA fantasy, so when I read the synopsis of An Illusion of Thieves, I requested it, hoping this time I would finally be impressed with something I found on NetGalley. What I hadn't realized, though, is that this is an adult fantasy, which was fine by me, but it certainly can be read as a YA because there isn't anything explicit, at least for now. I really love the style and cover of the book!

What I Liked

-The world-building is a key positive aspect of this novel. Glass bases the land on medieval Italy, and you can tell she put a lot of care into immersing the reader in the time and place, although I can't say for certain if it's accurate or not. The political intrigue is both interesting and not too hard to grasp. Scenes were well-written and the pacing was done very well! Although it should be noted that the book goes through seasons, so if you'd rather have a book where stuff constantly is happening, this isn't the novel for you. I'd also like to go on record to say that sniffers--mages who'd been captured and traded away their freedom in order not to be executed--are absolutely horrifying.

-Romy is an awesome protagonist; smart, resourceful, caring, and surprisingly kind, after everything she'd been through growing up. She's the kind of character who refuses to let her circumstances get the better of her and strives to survive and protect those she loves. She is such an intriguing character, one that you could easily root for even though she can be prickly and hypocritical sometimes. It makes me wish we had more characters like her, who'd survived being sold into sex work and instead of being pitied for it, she uses her skills as a courtesan to keep herself and her brother safe and will not be shamed for it.

-I also love the rest of the characters! They are all solid in their own ways, with more dimension than you'd expect in secondary characters. For awhile, I hated Romy's brother Neri, but even he'd managed to grow up and develop! I just love the found family trope, and you get that done well here, especially since they are all of different ages and backgrounds.

-Despite the obvious problematic elements, I was aching for Romy and Sandro’s romance. I can't see how but as a shipper, I guess I'm hoping their reconcile.

What I Didn't Like

-The writing could be rough sometimes. I'm hoping that when it went to print, the grammatical errors were fixed.

-The language, I feel, is pretty juvenile for an adult fantasy. This isn't really a high fantasy novel to begin with.

-The villains aren't anything to write home about. They seem to be pretty low tier baddies, so hopefully we'll get more compelling and terrifying villains in later books.

Conclusion

I really, really liked this book! Despite how long it took me to get through it, it always managed to capture my interest when I came back to it! I love watching characters grow and develop right before my eyes instead of having to believe that they developed expert skills in things so quickly. I would recommend this book if, like me, you like found families, regular pacing, a protagonist with a unique background and skills, and a pretty exciting plot.

My Rating: 5/5

In Illusion of Thieves, there is always the presence of magic but it is rarely performed due to its status as illegal. Glass expertly interweaves the magic in such a way that it is more a means to an end rather than an in your face occurrence. I quite enjoyed the way in which it was expertly interwoven so as the reader can feel the constant threat of discovery.

All the main characters have their place while secondary characters have personality and hold their own in this world of intrigue. My favourite would probably have to be Domund’s Paolin wife with her meek and mild exterior and heart of a warrior.

The story took both a logical and well paced path, immersing the reader in its tale but never lingering for long enough to become stagnant. Although not full of twists and turns, it was an enjoyable journey nonetheless.

I will definitely be securing myself a copy of the sequel A Conjuring of Assassins when it releases in February 2020

I tried to connect with the characters and to follow them on the journey. But after 50% i skimmed most of the book, because i just could'nt seem to care.

A fresh look at a well-used trope. Magic forbidden under penalty of law. Users are executed without exception. The ability to use magic is innate, no training required.. A brother and sister have to learn to control their abilities to survive.
Writing is reminiscent of Michael J. Sullivan and theme a bit like N.K. Jemisin.. Truly likable characters and believable villeins. Some romance but a strong fantasy that will leave you wanting much much more.
Buy it, borrow it, just read it!

I didn't realise at first that the author Cate Glass also writes as Carol Berg. It's been awhile since I've read a Carol Berg novel but it immediately bumped this up the ranks of my to-read list. I've always considered her books to be similar to Robin Hobb's and Lois McMaster Bujold's and I'd say the same is still true. There's a bigger emphasis on characters and world building so some may find the plot moves on the slow side with only a smattering of action, but it's all done so well that I was thoroughly entertained and always looked forward to reading further. I cared about most of the characters, which always helps, and thankfully, although the characters have endured some horrendous experiences, it was never dwelt on in a gratuitous manner. There was also more of a focus on sibling and friend relationships rather than romantic ones which was very refreshing. I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading the next one.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It sucked me in during the first chapter when Cataline, a Moon House courtesan, is introduced. When she asks for a favor from her lover, the adventure begins. The world building is fantastic, characters are varied and complex, the plot is interesting, and the ending left me ready for more. It was so much fun watching the characters learn and grow, and I look forward to getting to know them better in future books!

3 1/2 stars. I knew very little about An Illusion of Thieves when I requested it from Netgalley. Honestly, it was the divine cover that drew me in and I was happy to escape to a new, Italian inspired fantasy world.

An Illusion of Thieves was especially enjoyable because Cate Glass spends a lot of time developing the characters. I loved how the author not only focused on developing the main character, but didn’t neglect to develop her side characters as well. I really came to care for the struggles each character had and the struggles they shared when trying to stop the Shadow Lord from being overthrown.

Romy is also a main character that I found myself constantly rooting for. She is often subjected to disapproval for being the Shadow Lord’s courtesan. No matter that she was witty and incredibly educated. Besides being subjected to bad-mannered folk for being a courtesan, she is also loathed by her mother and father and feared by her other siblings since discovering she was born with magic, viewed by most people in Cantagna as a demonic trait. I loved how Romy’s maturity really showed in the face of such disapproval, because despite other peoples dim-witted opinion of her, she takes it in her stride and is never ashamed of herself.

Magic manifests differently in everyone. Romy is able to wipe memories and replace them with new ones, whereas her younger brother Neri is able to phase through walls. Despite being over her mother’s disgust for her, Romy believes using magic is evil and forbids Neri to do so after him doing so results in her banishment from the palace.

I loved the sibling dynamic between Romy and Neri. Despite being a side character without a POV, Neri grows as much as Romy does over the course of the story. Their relationship at the beginning of the novel is hardly an affectionate one. Unlike Romy, Neri isn’t convinced that his magic is evil, making him very irresponsible with his magic.

Although Romy doesn’t hold Neri’s behaviour against him, she doesn’t pander to him either. She makes him challenge himself so he can mature and be able to take care of himself in order to survive in this world with gifts like his. I loved watching their relationship grow into something so wholesome over the course of the story.

It should be mentioned that this story could really be divided into two parts. Whilst the blurb mentions Romy’s involvement in stopping a plot to overthrow the Shadow Lord, the first half of the story isn’t really reflective of this. In fact, it’s a fairly slow paced fantasy story. The first half of this story focuses’ on Romy and Neri learning how to survive the Beggar’s Ring. Reading their struggles with learning how to make money in order to survive made me come to really care for these characters. However, you should anticipate a slower paced story as the format is very slice of life, featuring some adventurous moments too.

That aside, I found myself really struggling with the writing style. I’ve never been a reader who is good at reading between the lines and within the first couple of pages I knew I would struggle. I thought the sentences were structured very complexly on purpose and I felt it wasn’t as accessible in order to position or reinforce this story as being adult fantasy. But I can see readers who of Laini Taylor, Susan Dennard, Nikki Pau Preto and George R.R. Martin perhaps enjoying this story.

Personally, I also enjoy romance and often seek out books featuring strong romantic plots. This book is very void of romance. There are subtle hints to a past romance, but the narrative remains focused on Romy’s struggles once she is banished from the palace. I definitely would’ve been more invested if there was a strong romantic element. But I also know that some readers prefer their fantasy stories not to be overshadowed by romance. If you are that kind of reader, I’d highly consider picking up An Illusion of Thieves.

An Illusion of Thieves is the kind of fantasy novel that immediately bonds you with a badass central character whose intelligence and wit overcomes the many obstacles thrown into her path. Romy is a courtesan for a wealthy noble, trained to be an expert in all things. She’s worldly-wise in a place where most don’t stray more than a few blocks from their homes. We see her forced to adapt to the poverty she escaped from, paired with the struggles of surviving on your own in a city that spits on your existence. For a lot of the book, magic is this ephemeral kind of thing, forbidden by the masses and idealized by those with magical abilities. There’s intrigue and devious plots aplenty, presenting a compelling string of conflicts that constantly entangle Romy and the fate of her home. The writing is top notch with its extremely personal connection to the protagonist. Overall, it’s a well-done fantasy world that’s both exciting and deeply moving.

A new book by one of my favorite authors! But this is a debut, you say? No, through the magic of an open pseudonym, Carol Berg has become Cate Glass and gifted us with another one of her richly detailed stories. (As an aside, it seems like all of my favorite authors have been taking a hiatus from publishing. Not my bitch, I know. Anyhoo, I’m so glad there’s a new book by one of my faves.)

This book, the first of a trilogy, is a little smaller in scope than some of the author’s more epic fantasies, but the stakes are still raised just about as high as they can be. If you’ve read and enjoyed Carol’s work before, you’ll find the same carefully constructed characters who act in convincing, realistic ways even as they’re dealing with magic; the detailed settings that somehow come to life without pages of description; and the tightly plotted climax that draws everything together and has you thinking of all the things that came before and marveling at the deft weaving. The big difference is that the action is confined to a single city instead of an entire empire or parallel worlds.

I hate to say anything bad about a book by this author (she’s a wonderful person and if you ever get a chance to meet her, you should take it and say hi from Jen), but the beginning of this novel takes a little while to get going. That’s pretty much my only gripe. The magic in this world can be subtle, and that can take some getting used to for fans of her previous works. New readers may not notice. (Though if you’re a new fan, please search out Carol’s other fantasies, especially the Lighthouse Duet (Flesh and Spirit & Breath & Bone); you won’t be disappointed.)

Cantagna makes me think of Renaissance Italy, which is nice because I’ll probably never get to visit. I grew to love Romy and Neri and Placido and Dumond as the story went on, and I really wanted them to succeed.

It was refreshing to read a fantasy where there is no real romantic storyline. The novel definitely deals with adult themes, but it doesn’t depend on a romantic relationship to drive conflict. I can’t wait to read more about Romy and her growing skills, and learn about the friendly relationships between characters.

I received this book as a free digital ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also bought a physical copy from my local indie bookstore!

Moving on and making a life for yourself is, in my opinion, one of the strongest things a person can do.

I don’t make a point in talking about my home life on this blog or in the podcast too much – I’ve got a Tumblr for that shit, so don’t worry about me starting now – but I’ve been vocal about my abusive home even if I don’t go into details. I sort of have to be. It’s a perspective that is unique to me and other people in my situation, and it colors any analysis that I do on any text.

It didn’t rear it’s ugly head in this week’s book, but it pinged on something that struck home for me – even if you love someone, and you think they love you, sometimes the best thing you can do is move forward and make a life for yourself.

We’re talking AN ILLUSION OF THIEVES by Cate Glass.


Romy used to be the Shadow Lord’s favorite courtesean, until she asks him to find a way to save her father accused of theivery. While he can’t save him, Sandro tells her in so many words that he won’t punish the rightful thief – her brother – in the way that the law demands – death, because of his magic.

Thrown out of his household, she has to make a life for herself and her brother (now under her care), and make sure that no one else finds out about his magic . . . or hers.

There’s all sorts of drama, there’s a magical reverse-heist, there’s some creepy-ass magic-detecting creaatures that will haunt my daymares for a good while – everything you want out of a good fantasy. I’ve got no qualms with it. (I say that like I’ve got qualms with anything in this book when I very much don’t.)

What gets me so hard in the heart is just . . . Romy herself. Here she is, eldest of like, 12 kids, gets SOLD OFF by her mother at age 10 to basically a training camp for high-end brothels, gets BOUGHT by the biggest politician/aristicrat in the city, and then years later gets kicked out after asking for leniancy for her father. And not even like, true leniancy?? She’s literally like, “He would never do this, please find a way to help him,” to which the guy’s like, “Yeah, see, I want to, but he legit confessed and I can’t work with that.”

And you know what she does?

She gets to work!! She gets work as a legal scribe! She basically sits on her brother to make sure he doesn’t go out stealing, drinking, or fighting! And when they hit their lowest low, she finds a way for him to work out some energy by way of sword-training!

Like, y’all. This is the kind of story I want to read. This is the kind of story I need to read. And doubtlessly, you need to read it too.

And don’t think this is all seriousness/sadness/boo-hooing! There’s also some crazy tension in this book! One character had me so spitting mad I had to put it down and go to bed! I got such an immense joy out of this book, I almost set up my mic at 12:30 at night so I could just scream my feelings into it. That’s what this book did to me.

So read it. Because it’ll probably do it to you, too.

(Check out the podcast episode BLOOD OF THE CONVENANT on iTunes, Spotify, and Awesound!)