This was a DNF for me. The cover and blurb sounded pretty cool but I found it very hard to get into the story. I got to the part where Natasha goes to Gray Wolf Academy and I was lost, didn’t get where things were going.

Stealing Infinity checked on quite a few pointers from my <I>what-I-lookout-for-in-a-YA-book</i> list (because it’s not a secret that I don’t enjoy YA anymore):

Gorgeous cover ✔️
Intriguing title ✔️
TIME-TRAVEL ✔️
An academy in the middle of nowhere unbeknownst to the world ✔️
Drool worthy descriptions of historical events and art ✔️
An author I had on my radar ✔️

So, basically, as soon as I saw the ARC was up for grabs, I requested for it and luckily was approved. Yay!

The story revolves around Nat, an eighteen year old who is forcibly brought to the Gray Wolf Academy (set up in a remote island harbouring a natural wormhole), run by the <i>legendary, art collecting, tech trillionaire</i>, Arthur Blackstone, who trains potential time travellers for an undisclosed agenda. As Nat settles down into the role of a full time tripper, she realises that Blackstone’s plans are far more sinister than she assumed. And in the middle of all of this, there are a few really hot guys, who do a fair job in distracting both Nat and me from digging the mystery.

Being the opening book for the <b>Stolen Beauty</b> series, it didn’t quite live up to the <i>first book in the series</i> standards; opening books are usually the best books (aren’t they?), but this was far from being great. While the story boasts of some great modern <b>YA fantasy</b> elements, there’s nothing to tie those together. The peculiar academy of trippers makes up for a sturdy skeleton, but the one-dimensional character building fails to add flesh to it. However, I did enjoy the suspense, the art references, and of course, the thrill of time travelling.

Go for it if time travelling and mysterious academies make you ecstatic!

Thanks to Entagled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: June 28th, 2022.

3/5🌟.

<I>TW:</i> Graphic details of a rape scene, loss of a parent, and grief.

This book got me. It’s not perfect, it is oh so addicting. I could not put it down. I read the book in one sitting. This book isn’t even officially out yet, but August already need to get my hands on the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC!

The prologue was super intriguing for me and I was invested. The author did a great job with the numerology and Tarot cards aspect. The story is full of twist and suspense.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I wished for this book (since I couldn't request it) so long ago I forgot about its existance, until the publisher decided to gift me a copy of it! I'm still screaming, lucky me (: If you love time travelling, mystery, fantasy/sci-fi, boarding schools, balls and Versailles, then this book is a must read.

Natasha - or Nat - is a seventeen-year-old girl whose life is falling apart: her father disappeared, her mother has not been the same since he left them , school is meh and her only friend is Mason. And Elodie, probably. Everything is the same until Elodie brings her to the Arcane club where she meets Braxton, an extremely handsome guy, after seeing and laughing off at her tombstone engraving her name, her date of birth and her date of death, which this last one was on the exactly same day. After that, everything is even worse and in the end she enrolles in the Gray Wolf Academy, a bording school located on a remote island founded by the trillionaire Arthur Blackstone, a mysterious man who loves technology and art. With Braxton's help she starts to live her new, completely different life while trying to understand whom to trust and to what extent at this strange school.

Most of the time while reading this book I was so so confused, especially during the prologue and I was like "????" but then everything started to make sense. At first I was afraid this book was going to be exactly like any other book about the MC who doesn't know to have powers and is sent to a boarding school where they must learn to survive. Yet, this is so much more! I really felt how Natasha has grown through her Trips and everything else and I almost feel like a proud mom. Moreover, Tasha's power seems so cool, hopefully she'll use it more in book 2 and she'll become even more powerful.
Hopefully, Song will be alright too, since we know nothing about her situation and safety for the time being and I am really worried for her.
The only character that I really cannot stand, except for Natasha's mother (but I know it's not entirely her fault if she's like this), is Elodie. Like, arghhhh. I'm 100% sure she's not good and doesn't have good intentions at all, especially regarding Natasha.
Lastly, I looove Braxton, In the beginning, I wasn't sure about him and his intentions, like I couldn't really trust him. Now I'd give him my life, yeah. And I want to do a little mention to Killian, because I like him too, even though we haven't really seen much about him.

My rating: full 4!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy! I’m going to have to rate this book a 3.5/5 stars, I really really wanted to love it, but instead I just liked it. When I was in middle school I used to read this author all the time so as an adult now I was very excited to see that she came out with something new and put a spin on it with time travel and tarot cards. But unfortunately, the plot felt a little too predictable so it lost the edge that I was looking for. It was good, just not what I was looking to experience.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Natasha’s life is anything but perfect. Her father has left her and her mother and Natasha is struggling to help her mother pay bills. Her friend Elodie convinces Natasha to skip school and takes her to an exclusive club where her life is forever changed. When she returns to school, Natasha is convicted of a crime she knows she didn’t commit - the punishment is either jail or go to a secret private school, Grey Wolf Academy. She quickly learns that everyone holds secrets at Grey Wolf Academy and she’s hesitant to get close to any of them, until she absolutely has to because Grey Wolf is a time traveling school. She must rely on her new friends when she Trips aka Time Travels. This was a great book and a quick read. I was instantly drawn into the plot and story. Braxton is a favorite character, though I fear he’s holding back on something. I’m excited for the sequel and what’s in store for Natasha.

This book was not for me. Normally YA fantasy is written young, but this was written young in a way that it felt like it was gatekeeping an age range for the book. I normally enjoy YA fantasy but this book started by making references to pull a reader that isn't a teen out of the story with passages like "I feel like pretty woman"... which is basically some old-school story about an escort who gets a makeover from a rich client when he plucks her off a street corner". It was hard to get into at a 38 year old for that reason.

This may not be an issue for others who can move past these types of references, and maybe not an issue for younger audiences. I liked the premise, but again, this particular book wasn't for me.

I went into this one knowing virtually nothing about it, apart from the fact that it was a fantasy and had some aspects of time travel. Usually I love going into books knowing nothing as it makes the book a lot more fun, however, I think in this instance, I should have researched a little bit more about this book. I really liked the plot of the book, even though it was slow at times, however, I didn't love the characters and I wish they had gotten more development, considering it was a very long book. I enjoyed it but I hope there will be more character development in the future books.

I loved how short the chapters were. It made the story skip along at a great pace. And what a fun story it was. With lots of intrigue, angst, and a slow burn romance.

In Alyson Noel's signature fashion, Stealing Infinity is a fast-paced, magical read. The story moves along quite fast, taking the readers on a ride through Natasha's new life. I'm a huge fan of academy settings and history, and I look forward to seeing how Alyson answers all the questions I have!

Stealing Infinity is the break-out start for a time-traveling young adult novel set to come out late in June of 2022. A foster child whose life is altered when she is tricked into joining a group of time-traveling thieves. Little does she know that she is wanted for a much broader underhanded scheme than stealing more miniature art. The in-depth mystery that unfolds in this novel is exceptional, this is my first book from this author, and I was pretty entertained. I knew it was a time travel story but the twist on time travel and what they do with it and why is unique. I am a fan of novels where I know as much as the main character does, which means I get to uncover clues and figure things out right. I am dying to see how this plays out in the rest of the books.

I calculated my Life Path number = 1

I started this book because I am a SUCKER for time travel. This is the first book I’m reading from this author. To start off, I didn’t really like the writing style that much. It almost read wattpad-like which is a pet peeve for me, but that could also be because the MC is a teenager. I quite liked the use of real life objects and places throughout the book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I was super pumped to get an ARC of this one because it sounded like my jam. Time travel? Historical Fantasy? Elite boarding school? Sign me up!

STEALING INFINITY started out strong enough for me. The prologue was super intriguing and from the writing of that I expected greatness. But this was a classic case of a hyped book that fell way beneath my expectations.

I liked the initial premise well enough and was super interested to see where Natasha's story would end up. I also really enjoyed Braxton as a love interest for Natasha and thought he was pretty swoony. I am not normally a fan of insta-love, but the way that Noel does it with these two was really cute.

That is where my enjoyment of this book pretty much ended. I was reminded of my experience reading Crave (which I also didn't like) and honestly there were times where the similarities between the two books got on my nerves. I didn't buy the feel of Gray Wolf Academy at all. It read of privileged excess which didn't rub me the right way at all. And all of the characters at the school are horrible to Natasha! So much manipulation. It annoys me because Natasha, by the end of the novel, predictably views these people as her "family" and the school and her experience with it making it her ideal self, but I don't get it. Every student and I guess faculty member were horrible to her. What a message to send to young readers. Yeesh. And honestly I kept waiting for Natasha to have a personality of her own but she just read like a cliche female MC with no personality of her own. All of the characters just felt one dimensional and under-developed to me. I would have been more interested in seeing more of the side characters but they were just kept at the periphery in favor of the more insufferable main characters. The plot had its good moments but the more I read the more it dragged. No one's more disappointed than me about how I felt about this one, but the things I mentioned (especially the bullying and manipulation that Natasha faces as she tries to integrate herself into the school) just rubbed me the wrong way.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'll start with what I liked. It was a fast read.

Now for what I didn't like. My number one problem with this book was the amount of times the MC complains about not getting any answers and then she doesn't even try to get any answers. I felt like there was no real reason for the other characters to keep secrets from her other than to be secretive. Like i don't know why they wouldn't tell her what type of school it was and they just train her without her knowing all the information.

The love interest was just a mystery because he refused to tell her anything. Their relationship also felt very inta love and I'm not a fan of that.

She's also given a wardrobe of modern designer clothes when they're all training to travel in time. I would have expected for her wardrobe to include all sorts of fashions from different time periods.

There's also the fact that the author tried to make this feminist but turned the MCs one female friend into her enemy. We are told that it isn't because of a boy but then the MC keeps being suspicious of her ex friend because she thinks she still has feeling for her ex.

I love time travel stories but this one was just not for me.

This is such a great book with modern fantasy elements, a real page turner! I already really want to have the second book in my hands because this first book created such a good set up for the series and I’m excited to see where it goes from here, I am so intrigued by Braxton’s character and really want to learn more about him. I’d say the only downside was I did guess two of the bigger plot twisty scenes before they happened, but it was still super fun to read and would highly recommend to doctor who and The Mysterious Benedict Society Fans! 👏

'When you can’t go back, the only choice left is to move forward.'

This is what Natasha is left with after she is framed and finds herself with a choice. Her Dad has gone, her mum is just vacant and Natasha has spiralled downwards. So she opts for a new life at Gray Wolf Academy, owned by mega rich recluse, Arthur Blackstone. And it is beyond anything she knows!

What follows is Natasha's huge character growth with an evil genius and his minions at her side doing things she would have never dreamed of!

This was a unique, fast paced plot which left me on the edge of my seat!

I absolutely love the idea of Gray Wolf Academy and would love to visit it! I loved seeing Nat coming into her own, the scheming and I actually really liked how all the characters were written. As I said, the plot was unique so that's a plus and and going back to all those historical places was magical.

Braxton has a place in my heart and I am hoping my trust isn't misguided!!! Also I am very, very curious about Killian so am hoping well see more of him in the next book!

Time travel plus treasure hunting makes for a great story! It's a modern Oliver Twist with a sprinkle of Indiana Jones. The characters are fully developed and very engaging. Nat can be susceptible, yet who wouldn't be when they are thrown into something unknown. I can't say anything more in order not to give the story away. Nat's relationship with Braxton is somewhat generic in any teen novella, for me this turns me away from the story. Arthur's back story can be more elaborate to explain how he's the way he is. I hope this story continues in a form of a series.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve frequently seen this authors work but as it seems to be primarily aimed at teens I had resisted buying any. However I spotted this with its concept of time travel and have to admit my curiosity got the better of me and I’m so glad it did. Natasha is a young woman who seems to be at loggerheads with society and has become quite introverted since her father simply disappeared. Her memory of him seems limited and if it wasn’t for her longtime friend Mason I think she would be very lonely indeed. Things start to change when Elodie comes to her school as she’s cool, gorgeous and just seems to ‘get’ Natasha. Going to a club with Elodie changes Natasha’s life as she finds herself accused of shoplifting and even more bizarrely shipped away to a mysterious school . The students seem unwelcoming, there’s Braxton, a boy Natasha met on that fateful day at the club and surprise surprise Elodie is there but this queen bee is anything but friendly !
This captured my attention from the very first page and I have to say the mysteries around the school and it’s inhabitants were very intriguing. It’s hard for Natasha to know who to trust and that follows through for the reader too ! Morally grey supporting characters with secrets although having been given a huge clue about their true purpose at the beginning it was interesting reading how Natasha coped when the true purpose of the school was revealed.
This is about young adults and I thought the way emotions and feelings were explored rang true because first love is all consuming and jealousies can be overriding. Natasha herself was a feisty character who didn’t back down which only made her more likeable. Braxton is still a mystery but I do feel that he’s perhaps not the bad guy here.
The most exciting part of this has to be the time travel and the author does a tremendous job of explaining and simplifying it. If there are numerous time lines although someone is dead in ours they are still alive in their own so not they were but they are and as the story progressed that just became more abundantly clear. I loved this element of the story and I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of this series as it so far has mystery, action, romance and is sheer fun to read.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I really wanted to like this book, and I expected to based on the blurb but unfortunately it fell quite short. I wish I had a more constructive critique. The idea was original and exciting but the execution flopped. The writing and characters were lackluster, even though the author's writing style has improvedfrom her previous work. It would have probably read much better in third person POV. And why so many chapters? The cover is gorgeous but that's really all it has going for it. It felt like nothing was happening to move the plot along. The ending was partially redeeming, so for that and the unique idea, I'm generously giving 2 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for offering this title in their catalogue.