I really loved this book. Besides the heist / Six of Crows vibes, I loved the world building and the magic system. The romance was great too. So much banter and tension.

I’d love to see a sequel set in this world that follows these characters again because they were such a fun cast.

This was my first Elisa A. Bonin book but I would definitely read more books that she writes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm really not sure where this one went wrong. Between the cover and the heist, I totally thought I would love it. But honestly, the only reason i even finished it was because it was my only entertainment on a plane. Otherwise it would've been a DNF.

I really think my main problem here was the characters. They were all a bit too bland. It felt like the author tried to build them into loveable archetypes, but failed along the way. The only ones I semi-liked were Zephyr and Kaolin, and neither of them got much page time. Even they were boring though.

I think the other problem was the sheer scale. While I love epic fantasies with massive scales, it didn't work for this one. It had too many moving parts and characters and schemes to keep track of, and none of it meshed very well together.

I requested both The Stolen City and Dauntless the minute they were on Netgalley, and now that I've read this one, I'm way less enthused for Dauntless. Here's to hoping it's better.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review </i>

Stolen City is a fun, action-packed high stakes fantasy romp including magical artifact heists, complex sibling relationships all wrapped into a well-paced narrative of claiming back what is rightfully yours. COmplete with an endearing cast and intricate worldbuilding, this book is perfect for those who crave a quick but action-packed read.

As somebody who absolutely loved Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin, Stolen City was a painful letdown. While I appreciated her efforts in creating a diverse, complex world, I couldn't help but think that ultimately, the book was a massive hodgepodge of conflicting ideas. It lacked the passion and emotion that Dauntless had, and it was difficult to really immerse myself in the story.

Even the characters, whose background and stories were truly compelling, couldn't hold my interest. Maybe I read it at the wrong time, but it just isn't my cup of tea.

Thank you Netgalley and Swoon Reads for allowing me to read and review this title! All thoughts and opinions are my own. I apologize for the delay in writing my review.

Stolen City is a great adventure and is filled with unforgettable action packed scenes. I greatly enjoyed the chemistry the MCs had and I look forward to reading future stories by Elisa A. Bonnin.

4 stars

Stolen City is a wonderful adventure involving twin thieves who attempt to pull off a heist. The world building was phenomenal and I really enjoyed the pacing of this book.

Another case of right book, wrong time. I will definitely be returning to this book in the future as I loved Elisa's debut, Dauntless.

Siblings who are heirs to long-lost legacies.
A turncoat who has only done what is best for their family.
A stranger bearing a strange request.
A missing relic.

A fantastic heist story turned city-wide revolution.

I love this book so much. It is a fun, tightly-paced, wild adventure that can be read in one sitting yet does not sacrifice its substance and commentary for brevity. The characters are well-written and hint at even deeper backgrounds, and I hope that the author expands this standalone novel into a proper series because of all the possible stories that can be told.

I enjoyed this magical young adult fantasy novel, Stolen City by Elisa A. Bonnin published by Swoon Reads. Thank you to Xpresso tours and Swoon Reads for the gifted e-arc.

I thought Bonnin's previous novel DAUNTLESS was impressive and that her writing couldn't get any better, but STOLEN CITY really blew me out of the water with the carefully woven intricacies of the storyline. The realism in her characters' flaws struck me, making me connect deeply with all of the point-of-view-characters in different but equally compelling ways. While a heist with political undercurrents wouldn't typically interest me, Bonnin's character-driven style sucked me into the plot.

I love a good heist novel. Who doesn’t? There’s so much potential when it comes to meeting the characters involved, the planning, and holding out for that great execution at the end. Stolen City is one of those novels, artfully combining its story with a unique urban fantasy setting.

A big element of heist novels is plotting out the heist itself, and the pace of this novel definitely reflects that. I’d tend to recommend this book more to those who would prefer a slower-paced novel, as this one does take some time to set things up. But as a result, you have a rich story and world to become immersed in.

The characters’ motivations and interactions with each other were really well-done as well. But this book also included a lot of perspectives, which I personally thought made the book a little more complicated than it needed to be in terms of telling the story and character development. This tends to be a preference for me, however – other readers may not mind this.

Overall, Stolen City was a solid sophomore novel. This is not only a good pick for readers who enjoy Grishaverse, but also urban fantasy series like Renegades.

Stolen City is truly more than a heist story. It’s a story of magic, of family, of choices that make or break your identity, and ultimately a story of revolution.

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I must say, Stolen City is kind of a slow build. There are multiple characters to know, places to take note of, world-building to follow… But then the story gets going, and suddenly you can’t look away from the page. Reading this book was like that for me, and I loved it!

Stolen City presents itself as a heist story in its early parts, but as you get to know the characters and as you recognize the subplots and see the bigger picture, you realize it’s so much more.

With four different perspectives, talks of imperial occupation and rebellion, forbidden magic, and family secrets, it’s a story that will catch and hold your attention. The writing style seems straightforward, but also poetic at times that you feel the character’s emotions right off the page.

Speaking of the characters, I also quite love the characterizations in this story. We have four characters here with different backstories, different aspirations and fears, motivations, and more. And yet they make the story seem so alive. I loved getting to know them and diving deep into their thoughts and actions. Arian, Liam, Cavar, and Zephyr were all compelling in their own ways and you can’t help but anticipate how they will change the story, how they will reach the end.

As for the political intrigue in this story, I think the author did a wonderful job painting a picture and changing the sceneries for the readers. You think one thing one moment, but you’re hit with a twist the next. You’re rooting for this character one moment, and then you’re not. That’s what it felt like reading this. And I think this is another reason why I got so invested in this story.

The world-building and the magic being mixed with politics also make the story even more riveting. The idea of a place rich in magic but is now forbidden due to the imperial occupation, of an organization of mages, spells, and clans— it was all a great addition to the allure of the book.

Overall, this was a riveting read that thoroughly surprised me. If you’re looking for a book with politics, and family secrets, and magic, give Stolen City a try now!

A big thank you to Xpresso Tours, as well as to Swoon Reads, for including me in the blog tour!

Stolen City is told in four different points of view.

Cavar – Who is a weaver that has come to Leithon to find a star that is important to his group. Cavar hires Arian and Liam to help him get the star back to his people and into safe hands before someone else figures out how to use it and cause harm to the entire city.

Arian – Who is a thief who lives in Leithon and who know how to get around the city undetected. She has a twin and together they have pulled off some of the cities most well known heists. She ends up working with Cavar to attempt to steal the star his group wants before it falls into the wrong hands.

Liam – Arian’s twin brother who has magical abilities and is able to help the heists go off perfectly. With his magical abilities Liam realizes that he can do far more for the revolution thats happening and possible help protect others.

Zephyr – Liam’s ex-girlfriend, has betrayed they city supposedly in order to protect those she loves. Is now one of the people in charge of protecting the Bastion (castle like structure for the city.

Together these four different points of view help put together what has happened in the past in Leithon and what is currently happening now as the city is about to burst with revolution. Not only is a revolution about to happen, but there is also a heist planned that could have multiple of the characters we are following dead, or worse imprisoned.

Overall I couldn’t read this book fast enough. I had to know what was going to happen next. If Arian and Cavar were going to be able to convince them to work together in the tense situations they ended up getting involved in. They had to keep up appearances and play a part that wasn’t easy, especially as time went on and they got closer to the time to pull off the heist in one of the most secure places that Arian had ever tried to get into. Not only that though, they were also dealing with women else who they didn’t even know existed and had to stay safe from the revolution. All of this at once made for an extremely action-packed story that had so many moving parts that all came together to help make an amazing ending.

I’m not going to spoil anything or say how the heist ends up going. But what I will say is that I would love to see more of this world with either a book two, or with some companion novels showing what everyone else gets up to after that ending.

Tension is guaranteed in this fast-paced tale about a heist, unjust rule, and magic.

Arian and Liam are twins and one of the most talented pair of thieves in the resistance. By stealing magical artifacts, they hope to someday end Imperial rule, but they also are more than happy to take up jobs, when a little money is involved. When they are approached by Cavar, a once royal guard gone traitor, to steal a certain artifact, things shift into high-gear.

This is a fun read with quite a few surprises and exciting moments. The world building is very well done as Leithon becomes a rich city, which pops from the page. Even the political background, culture, and life is described enough to make the surroundings understandable and vibrant. This created a wonderful backdrop for the magic, fight scenes, and chases, which kept the plot moving and the read entertaining. Plus, a heist with all of its difficulties and tension is always a treat.

The four main characters each share their own points of view as the chapters switch between each one. The name is presented at the beginning to help keep confusion at a minimum, but it still took a bit to get into the flow of all four of them. Arian and Cavar both held quite a bit of personality, making them easy to connect with right away, while the other two, although also fun to root for, just never hooked me quite as much. Each of them had their own problems to overcome, though, and added richness to the tale. It will be fun to see where the next book in the series goes from here.

4.5/5 ⭐️

Wow, wow, wow this book was incredible. The world building in this story was so intricate that I can’t help wanting more. And the characters were an absolute joy. With 4 pov’s you’d think it would be confusing and hard to keep track of but each character is so unique that they’re easily distinguishable. The characters banter, specifically Cavar and Arian, was amazing and made laugh.

My favorite thing about this book, next to the world building, was the autistic rep. The rep in this was subtle but it reflected many traits I have myself and you can see the care that went into the rep. The way the autistic rep was woven into the character was just incredibly done and shows autistic characters can be in fantasy.

Overall, this story is amazing and while this can be read as a stand alone, you will be wanting more once you finish the story.

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Elisa A. Bonnin delivers another solid stand-alone fantasy within the span of a year with Stolen City. While it’s very different from her debut, Dauntless, I like that it allowed her to avoid being pigeonholed into one “type” of story. While I found this story slightly less captivating than its predecessor, it still has a lot to offer.

I really liked the themes explored here, particularly about the impacts of colonization, and how fear can drive you to extreme measures. Despite it being fictional, you get the sense that the characters are fighting back against an imperialist threat not unlike those we’ve seen in our world, which makes it relatable.

The characters are where I feel the narrative may have been spread a bit thin. Multi-perspective narratives were also a part of Bonnin’s prior book, but having four of them was a bit much, and I feel the development suffered a bit for it. The relationship between the twins, Arian and Liam, is strong, and Bonnin is great at drawing other relationships between characters. But it’s a bit harder to get a sense for who they are individually.

The pacing also suffers a bit, with the middle lagging after a solid start, then picking up towards the end. But it does feel earned, as there’s meticulous planning to be done, and the payoff is ultimately there.

Despite any personal issues I had, I found this to be a pretty solid sophomore effort overall, and can’t wait to see what Elisa A. Bonnin releases next. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy heist stories, you’ll enjoy this one.

The Legend trilogy is one of my favorite dystopian/fantasy series and this book gave me such wonderful Legend vibes! It had the same kind of strong, fleshed out and morally grey characters and the same kind of creative and unique world building, plus a thrilling magical heist plot. I’m definitely hoping for a sequel to this magical and engaging story!

Stolen City is a character driven fantasy story told from four perspectives – the two twin thieves and mages Arian and Liam, the weaver Cavar and Zephyr, the former royal knight turned traitor – and takes place in the city of Leithon which is under Imperial occupation. Arian steals magical artifacts for the Resistance, whereas Liam mostly tries to heal his wounds and not draw any attention to him. Zephyr made a choice that she has to live with and that made her hated by most of her former friends and family, but she had her good reasons for it. When the mysterious Cavar approaches the twins with a job offer, it will set a string of events and revelation in motion that will change all of their lives.

I did enjoy the four POVs, but it made it take a little longer to get into the story and start rooting for all of the characters and to fully understand all of their backgrounds, past griefs and traumas, and reasons behind their actions. I immediately took Cavar to my heart – I loved his sarcasm and wit and his tender heart. I also loved Arian for being so headstrong and badass, but it took longer to warm up to Zephyr and Liam. But now I’m most excited to follow their storylines in the sequel (certainly there will be a sequel, right?)!

I also really enjoyed the complex and unique world building, with the occupied city where magic has been outlawed, but is smoldering in the background and you know it cannot be kept at bay for much longer. There were a lot of twists and surprises when magic started to come into play and old generational traumas and secrets were revealed. There was also so much entertaining court politics and intriguing family secrets, and the writing style as very witty and action filled. I really enjoyed following how the resistance kept growing stronger by each heist (there was a lot of wonderful Robin Hood and Six of Crows vibes in the way the resistance kept foiling the imperial rulers). I would have loved to get a little more backstory to the weavers and the clans, but hopefully that will come in a following book…

All in all, Stolen City was a wonderful new YA fantasy with magical heists and thievery, a unique world building and amazing fleshed out characters each with their own struggles. There were also some really sweet romances, as well as new and past heartbreaks, that kept you invested all the way through. Highly recommended to fans of Legend or Six of Crows, and I can’t wait for a sequel!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Stolen City follows twins Arian and Liam, magic wielders who are recruited by the mysterious Cavar to execute a dangerous heist.

This is a fast-paced, engaging heist novel set in a fantasy world. We follow four different POV characters, and though the book is short enough that it's hard to feel genuinely attached to all of them, Bonnin does present her world and characters with such precision that they are easy to immediately feel immersed in. Even so, I wouldn't have been upset with another 50 pages of world- and character-building.

Though Stolen City and Bonnin's debut novel, Dauntless, are vastly different in terms of content and tone, both novels are equally masterfully executed, and I am excited to see what she has in store next (I also would not be mad at another Stolen City novel 👀👀)

I was lucky enough to have received an E-Arc of this book and I was NOT disappointed by what I read. I’m going to try to not spoil things in my review but I will be mentioning a few characters that aren’t named specifically in the book’s description.

This is a story of magic, colonization, and the lengths people will go to for those that they love. The characters in this story are all driven by fear, for themselves or the ones they love, loyalty, for their city and it’s people, and responsibility, either for their desire to run from it or accept it. All of these emotions drive the characters down different paths that converge together in the best way imaginable.

The four POV’s that Elisa established in this novel were all very different and unique. I could feel each specific character’s emotions, understand their actions through their mindset, and found myself falling in love with these characters because of it.

The twins, Arian the master thief, and Liam that last mage of Arcanum, had very contrasting personalities but were still in tune with one another enough to gauge each others reactions and feelings. Their arc’s in the story were incredible to witness as they pushed past their own fear of failure in an effort to create change.

Zephyr, a Knight turned traitor, is a prime example of what someone will do for the people they love. Although she was outwardly hated by those around her, she never backed down from a fight. Without giving too much away… I’m very excited to see more of her storyline with a certain someone should we get a sequel.

Cavar, the Weaver of the Wastes, was probably my FAVORITE character but I’m also biased towards cute, sarcastic boys who like to steal artifacts and hearts. He’s smart, captivating and all around a joy to read about. I trusted/fell in love with him from the moment Arian met Cavar.

The world building in this novel was incredible. I ate up every little bit of it from the descriptions of the Leithon itself, to talk of the Wastes/Empire, and all of the discussion about magic and how it worked in the world. The way magic was used in this story almost gave me a sci-fi feeling to it and I’ve always loved when magic almost sounds like technology instead of fantasy.

There is very little in the way of romance, and while that would usually upset me (I’m a big romance reader) this did not. Any more than what we were given would have felt like a distraction from the plot and what we DID receive was perfect for any readers who like a good slow burn. With that in mind, I REALLY HOPE Y’ALL HAVE PREORDERED I WANT A SEQUEL.

Overall this book was MORE than I expected. The twins POV’s I anticipated but the addition of Zephyr and Cavar was a delightful surprise. All four of these characters, their different experiences, and thoughts worked so well together and I ended up loving the book from start to finish. I’d recommend this to anyone who loved Elisa’s world building from her first book and anyone who loves heists and fantasy.

Twin thieves, a heist for a magical artifact, a city on the brink of revolution, and a mysterious stranger come together in this story about embracing your destiny. The city of Leithon is under the Imperial occupation and Arian Athensor and her brother Liam are famous for their abilities to steal magical artifacts. Arien has left her past and her magic behind while her brother has embraced it, intent on being the heir to their mother’s magic legacy. When the mysterious Cavar comes to town specifically seeking out Arian and Liam for a job the twins find themselves pulled back into their complicated family’s magic history and the Resistance that is happening. The more Aien works on the heist the more she begins to realize that there is no running from her past and that she’ll have to embrace every facet of herself if she wants to make it out alive. With other dark mages on the hunt for the artifact and the Imperial guards on high alert, stealing the magical artifact that once belonged to their mother for Cavar will not be easy. Cavar has always know his role... yet he has begun to question leaving and if there is more for him... and with this new job... and with spending time with Arien he begins to question what future he has and his sudden yearning for freedom. Romance, magic, family, and resistance all come together in this fantastic story about a heist and a city that is primed for change.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Swoon Reads for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*