Among Thieves, by MJ Kuhn, is a sort of two-tier book for me. On the one hand, it’s a fast-paced heist novel that speeds along amiably. easily, and with some humor. On the other hand, it’s somewhat of a paint-by-number heist novel that doesn’t really add anything new to the genre and skimps a bit on characterization and world-building. If it’s your first experience with this type of story, or you’re a younger reader, and/or someone who prefers plot-driven rather than character-driven stories, then it’s probably in the 3.5-4.0 range. If you’ve read similar works though or look for more substance and originality in your characters, it’s more likely a 3.0. or, if you’re grumpy that day, a 2.5

Ryia Cautella, aka the Butcher of Carrowwick, is the deadly, merciless, axe-throwing enforcer of the Saints, a dockside gang run by the coldly calculating (and highly alliterative) Callum Clem. When a rival gang turns down a job to steal a mysterious artifact from The Guildmaster of Thamorr (the most powerful person in the land, above even the kings), Clem decides it’s the perfect way to get the Saints out of the predicament they’re in and so brings in the rest of the main member of the gang: Claudia Nash, shipmistress supreme; Ivan the master of disguise; Tristan, the quick-fingered pickpocket/card shark; and Evelyn Linley, former Captain of the respected Needle Guards now disgraced thanks to Ryia’s actions. They have to somehow get onto the Guildmaster’s tiny island, break into wherever he's keeping the object (“the quill”), and then get off the island, protected by the Guildmasters many Adepts (powerful magic users). Complicating things even further, several members of the group have secrets/hidden pasts that lead to differing goals for the mission and possible betrayal.

To start with the positives, as noted, the novel moves along at a quick pace without being breakneck or frenetic and does so smoothly and breezily, making for an easy one-sitting read. Transitions amongst the 39 third-person POV chapters are seamless, with Ryia getting the lion’s share at more than a third them and Ivan and Clem by far the least. Humor is a pretty consistent element, and the banter between Ryia and Evelyn is particularly effective and natural. Kuhn also does a nice job in revealing various plot elements (how magic works, the political context, those hidden pasts) bit by bit throughout the early part of the book.

Really, it’s the sort of novel you can absolutely enjoy as just a fun, light read. Issues start to arise when one stops skimming along the surface though. The worldbuilding is pretty thin and feels more than a little rote. You have your generic dock, mention of your generic gaming house and brothels, a barracks here, a market there, an island over there. None of them feel like true places where people live and work. They’re sketched in enough so characters have place to move through and to, but that’s about it, sort of like the decoy town in Blazing Saddles. The same holds true for the political and magic systems.

Meanwhile, the characters feel a bit off-the-shelf. Clem is your typical cold mastermind underworld boss, Nash your typical brash, boastful queen of the seas pirate, Tristan your typical fast-fingered callow youth, Evelyn your typical soldier of honor forced into grey moral areas, and Ryia your typical main character SQARFF: sassy, quippy, arrogant, rebellious, flirty fighter (TM pending). Outside of Ryia, none are really developed much at all, and even Ryia’s is relatively slight and certainly quick. And yes, a few have those aforementioned secrets, but they don’t really do much to deepen the characters. Ivan has so little POV time that his motivation is pretty much wholly abstract while Tristan’s is wholly familiar and predictable. Finally, Ryia’s character has another issue in that she’s pretty sociopathic at the start, though played lightly, and though she changes, that shift is both completely predictable (why it’s not a spoiler) in how and why and far too easy/fast. The same holds true for the every-person-for-themselves shift to the found-family-leave-no-person-behind.

As for the plot, it does, as noted, speed along, but that’s partly due to Kuhn’s skill but also partly due to how it all is a bit too easy, too fast, and at times too contrived. The get-the-gang together segment is basically calling them into a room. The first brainstorming heist plan belongs to Clem, but he never tells anyone, and we never learn it. The second one comes about with staring at a map and then a casually dropped line that causes an immediate breakthrough. Getting onto the nearly impossible to get onto island involves mostly sailing to it. Getting to the artifact mostly involves climbing some steps and the artifact itself being helpfully totally unguarded in any way, shape, or form despite it being the sole source of power for the strongest magic-user and ruler in the land. And I won’t give other examples of the same sort of issues, meaning the heist in this heist novel is highly anti-climactic and unsatisfying. As is the resolution, which ends with a twist that is, again, completely predictable.

Those last two paragraphs sound pretty negative, and it is true the book as some major issues. But it’s also true I breezed right through in a mostly pleasurable, light read sort of fashion. It’s not the first book I’d press on someone, and I’d probably recommend it as a library book rather than a purchase, but there are certainly worse descriptors of a novel than “lightly entertaining.” And there’s certainly enough basic skill here in dialogue, flow, etc. to have me check out Kuhn’s next book to see how she’s grown in other areas.

This is an engaging, easy read that is fast paced and action packed. I enjoyed this book! It isn’t one I would go back to and read over and over again. It has been compared to six of crows and I see why but it definitely didn’t draw me in and make me care about the characters the same way. It follows a group of com artists, thieves, and smugglers on a job. The world building is fairly well done, the magic system is explained throughout no major info dumps. Overall I would recommend this to people looking for a quick and easy engaging fantasy read.

The author joined together disparate, low life characters and gave them a common goal. Interestingly as the book proceeds, we discover all of the characters have hidden motives, and none are as despicable as they first seem. I am a sucker for multi-layered characters and so enjoyed the read. It provided the interest the plot lacked.

I was given a free ARC. I am leaving my honest review

Among Thieves is a heist story with multiple POVs and lots of swearing, violence, and magic. One of the main characters is very Aelin-like (throne of glass). Ryia finds out the king is paying good money for someone to steal a special quill from the guildmaster. An impossible task, an assassin, smuggler, disguise artist, ex-royal guard and young pickpocket team up to complete. Plans are made and go astray, promises are made and betrayed. It was a fast past ride that I think a lot of people will like. 👍🏽 I did want more but I’m hoping there will be a sequel.


Adult content note: moderate language and violence

Ugh. Among Thieves was such a disappointment. I should have known better than to be drawn in by the Six of Crows comparison. Among Thieves compares in only the most vaguest of outlines: misfit band of individuals attempting a grand heist.

Here's what it lacked:

Characters and character development. I did not like nor did I connect with a single character. I didn't give a flying leap about any of them. Ryia was a strange, disturbing individual, rather than the badass mercenary she was portrayed as in the synopsis and even on the cover. She talked to her weapons in a weird way, and she had the creepiest, most cringe-worthy way of flirting with/coming on to people. She also thought she was amazing. I disagree. Tristan was a wuss, who tagged after Ryia like a puppy. Nash was boring, didn't seem all that skilled, and was randomly attracted to Ivan. Ivan made cool disguises. Evelyn. Meh.

The world-building fell flat and was a muddled mess all at the same time. There was so much info dumping in the beginning with names, gangs, countries, places, general background details, but also no information that explained much of anything.

The secrets everyone had weren't really secrets, so I was just waiting for how and when they would be "revealed."

The heist wasn't all that awe-inspiring to me. I just wanted it to be over.

Also, is this a standalone or what? Because that ending did not suffice in anyway, but I won't be reading the next even if there is one.

As hard as it is to believe based on what I've said so far, Among Thieves wasn't ALL bad. I loved the cover. I only wish the story and characters would have been as b.a. as the cover model led me to believe. The writing itself was very easy to read. I enjoyed the flow and style. I just wish I had cared about the characters and story.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

I LIVE for a heist, and if you want to throw magic into the mix, even better. This adventurous story takes off at a fast clip, with a gang trying to steal a royal contract that requires a heist from the most powerful person on the continent. Pulling together a forger/master of disguise, smuggler, con artist, assassin, and a royal guardswoman (odd woman out, it's fine), a kingpin forms a mastermind plan only to be left behind at the docks. His crew will be making the attempt without his genius and with multiple, conflicting goals in place. We're winging it, people.

Among Thieves serves up all kinds of goodness that improve my life. From wit and banter to found family and subtle feels, this is a fantasy after my own heart. It's a new favorite for me in the realm of multiple POVs because the author tackles all the different motives, personalities, and secrets of each character with such finesse. I was invested enough to confuse myself with who I wanted to succeed in backstabbing the other crew members, although my obvious preferred scenario is for all of them to be friends forever, no stabbing necessary. It's a light read without weighty world-building, staffed with fun characters and a chaotic story worth sinking into. I can't wait to see what alliances and plots are stirred up in the next book.

Thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's out now!

This was an interesting idea, but it felt incomplete as a standalone (I could be wrong about it being a standalone, but that's my impression). The pacing was pretty good overall, though it does take a bit to get going with the heist elements. Admittedly, this makes some sense because you do have to first assemble a crew before going on said heist.

I liked the world overall, though I definitely still have a lot of questions about it and wanted more details. In terms of the magic, there are people called Adepts (as well as individuals higher up the command chain with more power) who have magical abilities. They're essentially enslaved and are somewhat soulless because their minds aren't really their own anymore. I did want more details about the different types of abilities and how this society structure really came about, but it was certainly intriguing.

The story is actually told through multiple points of view, rather than being completely focused on Ryia as the synopsis makes it seem. I really liked this way of telling the story because you can really get a sense of each crew member and their secrets. Each of them has a different skill, attitude, and reason for being there. I would absolutely love to get an entire background book following Ryia. She's known as the Butcher and generally seems like a badass, bloodthirsty woman. She's foul-mouthed and willing to get her hands dirty. It was really nice to see this with a female character! I really enjoyed her overall, though again, I definitely still have some questions about her.

We also have a captain of the guard type character who was fun. She's more uptight to begin with but gradually settles in to this new company after facing a harsh reality in her life. There's also a master of disguises, a ship captain, and a boy. I did find it easy to figure out the boy's identity based on clues in the book, but that's fine.

Overall, this was a fun time, but I did just want a bit more from it. I would still recommend it if this premise sounds interesting, and I'd certainly be interested in reading more books in the world.

My video review can be seen on my booktube channel (around minutes 9:14-12:17 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXSdnsm-48Q

<i>I received an advance copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for a review. My apologies it took so long to get a review up!</i>

For me, this is what happens when you take Leverage and fantasy and shake as hard as you can. I loved the writing. I do wish there had been a bit more world building. In the early chapters, I kept on thinking that I had missed something. Or even missed another book. I am very happy to hear that the author will possibly be going back to visit the world a bit more. I would love to know more. If you love fantasy, rogues working together yet not at all, and twisty turns, this is the book for you.

A fast-paced fantasy adventure where a motley group of misfits attempt to track down and steal a magical artifact that allows the owner to control magical powers unimaginable, assuming they don't kill each other first.

I loved the world-building in this one and while it does remind me somewhat of Six of Crows and The Lies of Locke Lamora, I found this group of errant thieves unique and engaging. None of them are exactly what they seem, and while they have banded together to undertake this heist, each is doing it for their own self-motivated reasons. The seedy world of the gangs in the city, all trapped in a power struggle was full of all sorts of rabbit warrens, questionable businesses, and lots of black market goods. I actually would have liked a bit more description of the world itself, but I happily immersed myself in the backstreets and seedy taverns.

The characters are a mixed bag, although they are all mostly morally gray. Riya (aka the Butcher), who is a paid assassin and hatchet-for-hire mercenary, is nominally the main character, but the book's chapters are told from not only her point of view, but Nash, the sea captain; Tristan, the youngster in the employ of Callum Clem, the slumlord who is always scheming; Evelyn, the disgraced captain of the guard; and Ivan, master of disguises. While the group winds up having to work together to search for The Quill, it becomes apparent they are all searching for it for personal reasons. I'd also have enjoyed more back stories on the characters, especially Riya since she's an important plot point in and of herself.

Filled with loads of great action and a fast-paced plot, with tons of unexpected plot twists and turns and Machiavellian maneuvering, I really enjoyed this current stand-alone and hope the author will have a sequel to it in the future!

Enjoyed this! Fun and compelling and hit all the notes I like in a book (morally complex lady mercenaries!). Found some of the writing a tad clumsy, though and it was a little predictable. But at least predictably something I like!

Woot woot! A heist novel! I’m a major sucker for heist novels, so of course I HAD to read this one. The story centers around a gang of sort-of allies, and tells the story from multiple POV’s.

We have:

Ryia – “the butcher of carrowwick” who is incredibly skilled, sharp tongued, and carries more than a few secrets of her own.

Evelyn – the disgraced Captain who lost her job due to Ryia – and now wants Ryia in return

Nash – she runs Clem’s crew and the closest thing he has to a sidekick, and has a crush on Ivan

Ivan – the Master of Disguises, able to make amazing multi-use clothing and facial disguises and wants nothing more than to rescue his brother.

Tristan – the pickpocket, who although being relatively mediocre at his work, he’s not quite sure why he was chosen for this mission, but he has a very interesting secret of his own that he wants to keep buried away…and will do anything to make sure it does.

I really enjoyed all of these characters, they all that their own goals and motivations outside of the mission, and as their relationships with each other changed, the sacrifices they were willing to make for those goals started to blur a little bit. I especially loved this dynamic with Ryia and Evelyn – at the beginning all Ryia wants is to destroy the Quill, the prize that the team is after for Clem, and plans on betraying the crew to do it. Evelyn is part of the mission because when it’s over, Clem promised she could have Ryia – and she plans to use that to return her honorable status.But as their mission goes on, they start to wonder whose on the right side of things, and what will happen to both of them when it’s over.

As much as I loved the characters, I did want a little more world building in this one. We got the basis of what kind of fantasy world this is, but other than the Guildmaster’s island we didn’t get to see much of the world or how it worked. I do hope in the sequel (i’m assuming there will be one) expands this a bit more and we get to learn more about where they live!

This was a really amazing debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

This book was interesting to read. It was a slow start at first and then the multiple POVs was a bit much for me at first but it definitely picks up in pacing. I then got used to the multiple POVs and with all the twists and betrayals going on I wasn’t quite sure who to to root for. This book also has some found family vibes here but kinda loosely as they want to help each other at times but put their own personal agendas first. If there’s a sequel I’ll probably read it. Nothing too memorable or flashy about this book and will be a one time read. My rating is more of a 3.7/5 ⭐️ Thank you books with friends for providing this ARC to me via Netgalley.

Exciting new fantasy!

A familiar trope executed in a ‘eyes wide open’ way. You know, where the Bad Ass female lead, crime lord Callum Glen’s executioner / assassin ends up on a quest, with not a ship full of fools, but a ship full of lethal allies, each in their own way an expert, and indebted to seek an artefact that will destroy even more of the freedoms of those not part of acceptable society. A society at the mercy of the Guildmaster and his Disciples. The enemy! Then there’s the Guildmaster’s Adepts, part of a frightening army, dehumanised talented entities who become unthinking slaves bound to the Guildmaster. When I say talented I mean those with extra sensory type gifts, who are ripped away from their families and subjugated through horrific means.
Ryia Cautella, dubbed the Butcher of Carrowick, is a deadly blade and along with this rather fascinating group of riffraffs sets sail to take on an unwinnable challenge, each for different reasons. Their destination? The Guildmaster’s stronghold. Ryia holds a deeply held secret pushed down into the dark recesses of her mind. This journey may well be her last! I really enjoyed each of the crew.
Among Thieves is a rollicking, fast paced tale, where a reluctant hero and her equally reluctant companions are in a race against time searching for the key to a powerful artefact whilst being met by the dreaded forces of an evil overlord. But the ending hangs on a shocking note. All these tropes combine for a rapid read.

A Gallery Books / Saga Press ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Among Thieves had the potential but ultimately it was very disappointing. While many heist books are often compared to Six of Crows and are nothing like that series, the heavy influence of SoC was evident. The book being advertised as something similar to SoC ended up hindering the overall experience of the book because it made it so much easier to recognise how the author tried to incorporate SoC far too much in Among Thieves. So many of the characters and plots were incredibly similar and it was very hard to ignore.

This book is about a group of criminals who are sent on a heist to steal a magical quill that many want. There are individuals with magical powers that are exploited, enslaved, and sold off in auctions. This is a cruel world which requires teenagers to be ruthless in order to survive even if it compromises their morals.

Unfortunately even the worldbuilding and romance fell flat for me. The worldbuilding was rather confusing and never truly developed which when paired with the plot, did not work out very well. The romance was perhaps the one thing I did enjoy but even that lost my interest.

tws: blood, gore, slavery

I feel pretty indifferent towards this book. I never really felt engaged with the story as it felt like a bunch of other books I’ve read. Some of the characters were interesting but their big, terrible secrets were super obvious from the start. Some of the romance felt forced while other relationships I was very excited about. The magic system could’ve been explained way better. It’s a solid YA fantasy for fans of Six of Crows and Throne of Glass, unfortunately my apathy towards this book means I will not continue with the series. Not a bad book by any means but it also does not stand out from the crowd for me.

From the very first page the world the author created and the magic involved captured my attention. As the story goes on I increasingly became more and more intrigued and invested in what was playing out which is exactly what I hoped for.

I am really into dual/multiple point of view stories right now so being able to see this story unfold through several sets of characters eyes was such a joy. Riya is an amazing main character that demanded attention from the very first page. I became very invested in her story and the story of all the other characters she bands together with. Even single character within the band of misfits was unique in so many ways which allowed for characters that was very different to come together to get something done.

I think this story was very well done. The world building and characters were phenomenal. I never wanted to say goodbye to these characters which happens every time for me when I get really invested into a story.

I was intrigued by this story the moment I saw the author talk about it months ago. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book. If you like magic, thieves, a romantic subplot, and mystery this book is for you.

It seems that whenever you pick up a book, it is compared and said to be like to such a book sometimes that is correct; other times, it is so dead wrong. In this case, Six of Crows is our comparison, and yes, it fits that bill. Our band of merry characters includes this time, a reckless mercenary, an expert card cheater, a master of disguise, an ex-captain of the royal guard, and a smuggler forced to work together to pull off an impossible heist of all time. We have three gangs that rule this world The Saints, The Harpies, and The crowns. The magic system is based around the fact that some people are born with magic, and they are either Sensers, people that can smell people and their intent, or Kinetics, people that can make things move with their minds. "Of the two types of Adept magic-wielders, Sensers were the weaker fighters by a long shot. Kinetics were the tricky, speedy bastards. Sensers were usually good at sounding the alarm and not much else." There was no pattern to how the Adept babies were born. Or possibly it was just a puzzle nobody, but the Guildmaster had managed to crack. No one knew how he and his loyal Disciples could tell which babies would grow up to have powers —how he tracked them down from every nook and cranny of Thamorr." Our characters want to know how he does it and destroy however he does it. Their secrets, betrayal, and lots of action in the pages of this story and the ending and how it plays out might stop you in your tracks. Among Thieves is a fantastic debut, and I can not wait to see how it all plays out.

4 out of 5 stars

Among Thieves is a multiple POV, gritty, magical, heist story and it was so fun. A sarcastic group of characters are all thrust together to take something that can't get into one of the evil leader's hands. It can be tough in multi POV books to have each one be just as entertain as the rest, but this book did that so well. My favorite would have to be Ryia, who could be held up as the main character. She's the notorious "butcher" of the bunch and she has the most at stake for her own, secret, reasons. She has a great character arc with her learning to trust the people she's around even after almost betraying them. She faces betrayal herself and comes out the other side. All of the characters were great and it helped to not keep the story from slowing down at all. It seemed like we jumped from each action scene in the perfect amount of time so it didn't get boring. I do wish this was a standalone since I feel like it could've wrapped up well in the end, but I'm interested enough in the bigger plot and magic system, to want to pick up the next book. Especially after the slight cliffhanger in the epilogue.

Among Thieves follows an unlikely band of thieves, smugglers, and rogues as they attempt an impossible heist. Ryia is one of the most feared assassins on the docks, but she has secrets that are rapidly catching up to her. When an opportunity appears to strike back at the king who has kept her on the run for years, Ryia is determined to have revenge. To succeed, she’ll need a crew. But every member of her crew has secret, selfish motivations of their own. The beginning was very strong, especially as the crew came together. However, the ending felt rushed to me, though I consistently enjoyed the character interactions and witty banter. I wanted the crew to have more time to bond and reveal more about their personal lives and histories. As the tension builds and betrayals occur, the ending is fast-paced and impossible to put it down.

One of my favorite things about this book was the LGBTQ+ representation. Ryia was one of my favorite characters! She was absolutely hilarious and I would love a novella following her adventures. The magical world-building was very intriguing and I would have liked to see the concepts explored even more. I’m surprised this is a standalone because it definitely felt like more adventures were to follow. I would recommend Among Thieves to anyone looking for a standalone magical heist featuring LGBTQ+ representation. Among Thieves releases September 7, 2021. Thank you very much to M.J. Kuhn, Gallery Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For the publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Review based on digital copy of uncorrected proof from NetGalley.
I love a good heist and Among Thieves does not disappoint. The novel follows a crew of five who are all in on a high stakes job for very different personal reasons with a boss that is pretty questionable himself. No happy tight knit crew here - everyone is in it for themselves.
The novel primarily follows Ryia, the Butcher of Carrowwick, who is Callum Clem's enforcer for his gang. She catches wind of a high payout job that goes after the most powerful man in the five kingdoms - the guy who controls the training and sale of the Adepts who are the magical servants that everyone fears and respects. Things get interesting when trust and ulterior motives get exposed. Will personal wants outweigh what's best for the kingdom?
The world, players, magic system, and storyline all weave together seamlessly as each character gets a chance to move the plot along. An entertaining original twist on the fantasy heist!