This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following unbiased and impartial review:
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Firstly, I'd like to clarify that I never read Les Mis, the original works. I've only watched part of the movie and listened to the musical, so I only know the general events and plotlines. My review will therefore not include any remarks regarding the faithfulness of this retelling.
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3*
Pros: Beautiful and mesmerising world-building. An outside view of the French revolution, from the PoV of the downtrodden. Interesting and PoC female lead. Intriguing character concepts in general. Includes fantastically-written guilds of the underworld, which I'm a big fan of. Full of heists, twists and surprises. Skillful description, narrative and dialogue style. Culturally immersive, full of French history, traditions and folklore.
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Cons: Plotlines introduced and immediately abandoned. Disregarded secondary characters. Superficial and instant attachment and romantic affection (by multiple characters). Supposedly impossible heists are easily solved and surpassed. Nonsensical and abrupt chronological jumps.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I don’t even know where to start with this one, and I say that in a good way. Sadly, I haven’t read the original Les Mis. I tried to a few years ago and loved it, but for some reason just didn’t have time for it. So I set it aside, and have not picked it back up. I fell in love with this story because of the 2012 movie. Everything about this story made me fall in love with it. So anytime I see a book that is a retelling of this story I’m sold. This one in particular because the main character we follow is Éponine. I love her character in the original story and always felt for her. Her story ends on such a sad note. This is the perfect story for her.

Éponine in The Court of Miracles is a very skilled burglar. She can go anywhere and take anything while still being unseen. I just love her so much. She has had a bad life with her father and had her older sister taken away from her so she has to think quickly on her feet. She decides at a very young age to become part of a Guild. There are many different guilds and guild masters to have to deal with, but she does so very intelligently. When it comes time to have to protect her younger sister, Ettie, short for Cosette she stops at nothing to do so. While doing this she ends up doing things she never thought she would. The love of a sister knows no bounds.

I couldn’t put this book down. The world that Grant creates is amazing and beautiful. The characters that she brings to life are so complex but for the most part lovable. I try not to fall for the “Fans of Six of Crows” bit, but it really did remind me a little of it. I also love that it says it’s like Six of Crows and The Jungle Book. It definitely had nuances of The Jungle Book which was awesome.

I don’t think I can really express how much I loved this book. It took me out of a book slump, but then put me right back into one. I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook when I reread it to prepare myself for the second book. I need it in my hands now!!! Hopefully, I can score an early copy as I did for this one. A dream come true. I recommend this book to everyone!!!! GO get it now and let’s chat about it ASAP.

This was okay. It was funny and easy but there was something that stayed with you after reading as 'wrong'. This nibbling doubt that prevented you from saying this was a great book. Maybe it was the knock off les miserables feeling or the over all weakness of the secondary characters but there was something that didn't connect.

3.5 stars!

I absolutely loved the cover and I think that's what compelled me to request this book even if I wasn't completely sold on the description. The UK cover is even more stunning and honestly I'd love to have a copy of the book just for that cover.

The time skips in this book made it difficult to really connect with the characters as they developed offscreen and we had to reconnect with a more-developed character. I did enjoy the light romance, but I would have also enjoyed more male/female friendships rather than just romances.

Overall a strong debut!

I loved this book! Kester Grant has sold me on her next book after this beautifully written debut.

Set in an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between nobility and the The Court of Miracles, nine underworld criminal guilds. Nina is a member of the Thieves Guild. When her adoptied sister Ettie catches the eye of the Tiger, the lord of the Guild of the Flesh, she does everything she can to keep Ettie safe.

This was an action packed, truly beautiful book with a kick ass, conniving, and ruthless heroine. There is something in this book for everyone but I cannot praise Kester Grant enough for introducing me to Nina.

How perfect for me to read book about oppression and rebellion right now... May 30th 1:30 as the country is on fire, as people march, protest and riot for the lives lost.

Court of Miracles spoke to me on multiple levels. What are you going to do when you see unjust behavior against your people, your loved ones? Do you keep your head down and keep to the status quo? Or do you fight? Do you fight tooth and nail to rip out the monster stalking your sisters? Do you fight when they kill your children? Or do you hide and tremble in fear because you aren’t sure this is a fight that you can win? Nina fought, hard and true for what was right even as she had to make tough decisions to protect the ones she loved. And really... she’s the main character we need right now. Someone make this book into a movie. I cannot wait for the next installment.

This isn't an exact retelling of Les Miserables. I don't think it's supposed to be. It is, however a fast paced novel with strong characters.

The world building is impeccable and I found myself more involved with each. It isn't a perfect plot, but it is an engaging one.

The main character is not a typical heroine. She has her own moral compass in keeping with the nature of the life she leads. Shfollows her heart, which gives her dimension lacking in so many main characters.

Although I am not a YA reader, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley. I am leaving my honest review.

I wanted to like this book but I could not get over the names being taken directly from Les Miserables and being imported into this setting and plot. I understood the time skipping as it does in the actual Les MIserables novel but it felt rushed and unnatural in this context. The historical inaccuracies confused me as to whether this was supposed to be an actual historical novel or an alternative timeline of sorts. In the end, I was wholly underwhelmed by this book.

I think the main thing that drew me to wanting this book was the Six of Crows reference. And to be honest, other than the main character being a thief, there really wasn't much else that reminded me of SoC. So if that's what you're looking for you might be disappointed. This book in general was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was really looking forward to the different areas of the miracle court and how each of them fit into the revolutionary, but in the end you really only learn about three of them and even then its not really the main focus. The main character gets into all sorts of trouble but somehow gets lucky and makes it out wayyy too conveniently, so the suspense is a total let down. As well as the fact I was really confused many different points througout the story because of the major time lapses that occur. I kept wondering how we got to where we were only to go back and reread and realize that its not me, its the way the story is written. It jumps around so much that I really couldn't even remember what the plot was at certain points. I was just reading random scenes going along with it at the end, just wondering if things would eventually wrap up or not?

I somewhat am curious to see if by the second book these kinks are smoothed out and maybe we learn about other areas of the miracle court? Or if it would even be worth struggling through another confusing mishmash of a story to get to the end and wonder wth I just read.

I saw a lot of people commenting on the inconsistencies in the historical facts on this also. While this didn't bother me much it still goes to show that this could have done with a little more time and editing before being published out into the world. There were a lot of parts that I felt could have made the story great, but they just weren't ever elaborated on. I really didn't care about the characters or connect with them, the names all seemed to run together and the main girl had so many different love interests it got confusing who was who.

I am still on the fence on whether I will continue this series. As of right now, no. But maybe if future reviews show that the writing improved I will give it another shot. Not too happy with this book though unfortunately.

There are two things you can say to me that will make me immediately feel the need to pick up a book 1) that it has an undertone similar to that of Les Miserables - one of my FAVORITE works of art ever and 2) that it has hints of a novel written by quite possibly my favorite author (Leigh Bardugo!). So Immediately I was sold on Court of Miracles! I had to know how it all came together!

AND GUYS! This book was AMAZING! I loved this retelling so much! Nina is the perfect leading lady, ruthless and ready to do what she has to do to get what she wants! It’s so nice to see a STRONG female lead!

This book had a wonderful world building that will sweep you off your feet and put you smack in the middle of the story as it unfolds around you and the twists and turns were so well done that you never saw them coming!

And guess what? It’s a FAST PACED BOOK and I AM HERE FOR IT. How often do I complain about slow burns and pacing in books leaving less to be desired! Well, I found my remedy and that is The Court of Miracles!

I was SO excited to receive a digital arc of this book. There has been a lot of hype surrounding this book, and it Definitely lived up to the hype for me. Right as I was finishing this book, I got it in one of my monthly book boxes, and it was a special edition, and I was so beyond excited that I actually got to have a hard copy of this book too. Because it really was that good. A bit of a slow start, if you’re not used to the pacing of young adult fantasy it might be a little bit harder for you to get into the book, but please don’t give up. It’s well worth it!

We follow Nina, "the Black Cat", a part of the Thieves' Guild, as she tries to save little Ettie from the Tiger. The separate guilds and the way the courts were fleshed out was incredibly interesting, and, really carried the majority of the book for me. The story though? Not so much.

Let me talk about the biggest issue I have with this book- and that's the time skip at about 75% into the book. We go so far ahead that I no longer had any idea what was going on. It was jarring, for one, and it took me a moment to get back into the story. I was really enjoying the adventure and trying to see how this all ended and then….that happened. Which gave me time to realize the things I didn't really love about the book.

When the book starts, Nina is relatively innocent as her sister sends her away. Her sister does this to keep her from being sold to the Guild of Flesh. Nina then swears herself to the Guild of Thieves. She also says she plans to rescue her sister. She…never does and essentially trades her sister's rescue for keeping Ettie safe.

I'll be transparent here, I've never seen Les Mis, and I also don't know anything about French history. So I cannot compare this book to any of those things. The three love interests were unnecessary, and a bit distracting. This book had a lot of possibilities, but its flaws really dragged it down heavily.

An amazing twist on Les Mis definitely had me intrigued the entire time. I need to get a physical copy just so I can annotate all my favorite scenes and quotes. Highly recommend!

Okay where to start? Overall, I’m rating this book 3 stars.
I’ll start by saying that I really enjoyed the overall flow of the book. I felt like things were explained well enough without overwhelming detail. I loved the dark and gothic feel to the book and the MC, Nina, is a badass. I loved the Court of Miracles, and the different guilds were really neat!

What I did not enjoy about this book:
I felt the plot was almost completely dependent on the three love interests feelings for Nina, and wish the author had stuck with just one love interest and developed the story with the other characters differently.

I also struggled with the pacing and minimal world building. Sometimes I felt like the story was rushing by, sometimes it seemed to drag on.

Overall, I will read the next book.

I loved this book! The world building is beautiful and I wanted to just soak it up. The writing is lyrical and swept me away from the very beginning. I can't wait to share this with students!

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they’ve added a surge of YA novels inspired by one of the French revolutions to their tbr lately? With this book, I was immediately intrigued when its description called it a Les Mis retelling.

Éponine “Nina” Thénardier witnesses her greedy father sell her beloved elder sister, Azelma, to a cruel brothel owner in exchange for a few gold coins. To save Nina from the same fate, Azelma arranges for her to be rescued from their father and swept into the mysterious Court of Miracles in the underworld of Paris. Made up of nine Guilds, the Court is a dark kingdom with political rivalries and ruthless rules of its own. Nina enthusiastically joins the Thieves Guild and becomes known as “The Black Cat” for her stealth and ability to sneak into any building. She soon discovers that the very man who bought her sister is none other than The Tiger, Lord of the Guild of Flesh, and Nina vows rescue Azelma. But when Thénardier adopts the beautiful Cosette “Ettie”, and she attracts The Tiger’s eye, Nina must concoct a plan to keep both her sisters safe.

This description, for me, is the true essence of this novel; a tale of sisterly love in a high-stakes, ominous world. It kept me on the edge of my seat as I wondered how Nina and Ettie would manage to escape the men trying to keep them caged. So why then, you might ask, is this a Les Mis retelling, aside from the characters’ names? If so, you’re asking the very question I found myself repeating throughout the book.

Yes, this book includes many other beloved Les Mis characters (Valjean, Javert, Enjolras and the Friends of the ABC, Gavroche). Yes, one of the subplots involves the student-led June Rebellion and the battles at the barricade. But for a retelling, the Les Mis factor of it all is very underwhelming and left me wondering why it was even necessary. I wasn’t hyped on feelings of revolution and justice (Vive la France!), but rather felt invested in Nina’s life-or-death struggle to outwit the brotherhood she once vowed to uphold. If this book had solely relied on the fantastical, sinister world of the Court and its cast of compelling side characters (Orso, Femi, Tomasis, Lady Corday, The Tiger, Montparnasse, etc.), it would have been just as successful, if not even more so.

That being said, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced read; I couldn’t stop turning the pages as I followed Nina through the streets of Paris, from the royal palace to the sewers below. Kester Grant does an incredible job setting the scene and making you feel, smell, and hear everything Nina does, as though you’re sneaking along right beside her. I absolutely loved Nina’s sweet relationship with Ettie, as the bond the adopted sisters shared outdid all the other relationships in the book.

Additionally, you might enjoy this book if you like stories with light romance. Romances isn’t central to the plot, but rather it’s peppered throughout the book and takes a backseat to the rest of the action. However, the flirting in which Nina partakes with not one, but three men is not only sparse – it also lacks chemistry. And don’t get me started on the scene where she surprise kisses one of these men… I know it was to throw him off guard, but surprise kisses are not romantic.

The timeline of Nina’s story spans several years, however these time jumps are not well established. Despite the year being indicated at the beginning of each section, I still had a difficult time discerning how old Nina was supposed to be. At one point I stopped picturing her as a child and started imagining her as a teenager, but this was a choice I made based on the plot (read: romance) rather than clear cues indicated in the text. Also, the various animal fables at the beginning of each act didn’t add anything to the story for me – I think they were meant to enrich the plot, but I simply skipped most of them (I’m generally not a fan of this technique).

Overall, this was a good debut. I was surprised to learn it will be a series, as I think this book could easily succeed as a standalone novel. With the conflict resolved by the end, I’m interested to see what the second book will entail. I haven’t decided whether I’ll continue with the series, and I think I’ll wait to decide until I read the description of the sequel.

I was really excited when I received the notification that I had obtained an ARC for this book, as it was one of my most anticipated, but sadly it didn't deliver in much of the ways I wished it did.

The first thing about this book that I didn't enjoy so much was the lack of description within the courts. I wished I got to learn more than just surface level stuff.

I really enjoyed the sister relationship in the book; I'm a big fan of familial relationships in books and I think that this one was really well done!

The romance, on the other hand, seemed to be where this book was lacking. I just felt that the book lacked a lot development in the romantic department and I didn't know enough about the 3 prospective love interests. I just wish I got to see more in this aspect of the book. I love getting to know motivations of characters and more about them than just their interest in the main character, so that disappointed me a bit. I'm hoping to see more in book two.

I was interested in the plot, especially since I love Les Mis, so that was something that interested me, but it just felt like the plot was lacking something I can't put my finger on.

I'm excited to see where this book is headed, though and will definitely be anticipating the next book!

I really enjoyed it at first, but then it completely lost me. I did enjoy all the allusions to Le Roman de Renart and thought the general idea was really great. It simply wasn't for me in the end.

Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows and V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic will devour The Court of Miracles whole. I could not put this book down.

Cecelia Beckman, Sheaf & Ink

First let me say this, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

You know when a book is wholly its own, but reminds you of some of your favorite stories and characters? And because of those fond memories the book is making you fall even harder for the book itself.

Yeah, this book was that one for me.

As I said earlier, I couldn’t put The Court of Miracles down. There was a little bit of everything. Action (I mean the French Revolution). An expert thief (Nina Thenardier and Delilah Bard would be besties). A dusting of romance (there was a trifecta of swoon worthy moments where I wondered would the whole cast of characters fall in love with Nina). The viscous villain (a human Shere Khan), intrigue and subplots I did not see coming, all with the backdrop of a city that never sleeps (Paris).

The Court of Miracles it’s worth mentioning, its beginning, though slow, felt similar to waking from slumber. Like a tiger lazily opening its eyes from a deep reverie, blinking the last dregs of sleep like droplets of rain. But once Nina is thrust into saving herself when the Tiger comes to collect her the urgent claws of the story sink in deep. The tiger fully awake, pupils dilate, the hunter alert, awash with the scent of prey. And the need to devour this story, like a strong cup of coffee in the early hours of the morning, is ever present. Turning each page at a break necking pace to find out what will happen next.

Kester Grant has weaved together a tapestry that is rich and vibrant. The scarlet and smoke colors of the French Revolution. Enriched by the earthy hues of abandonment and fostering along with the bright undertones of law and freedom. Imbued with the dark obsidian gradients of the underground society, the inner workings of the Guilds, and the quick-wit that comes with being a cunning thief.

My one concern was the lack of representation of LGBTQ in the novel. Although a plentiful cast of diverse characters, racially speaking, had Grant made at least one of her characters queer it would have added to the triumph of the novel: a fierce and resolute heroine and the gritty world building of The Court of Miracles and its Guilds.

My next question, when is the second book coming out?



Happy Reading ̴ Cece

Oh man, I loved this book!
Amazing world building. Amazing characters.
Amazing storyline. I couldn't get enough!