Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy. This book had its ups and downs. Up: it's quite a different retelling of Cinderella. Down: the reimagined world was weakly built and I wasn't really rooting for the main character. The only time I think I wanted the main character to succeed was right at the end. Parts of the narrative kept me engaged and continuing to read while others almost made me put the book down. While I don't normally have a problem with first person narrative, the back and forth between the past, present, and the narrator's ideas of what will happen, didn't work for me. 2.5 stars.

I received a digital copy of Thief Liar Lady via NetGalley to read and review.

I enjoy fairytale retellings. Instead of Thief Liar Lady rehashing the same exact timeline of Cinderella we get the story from right before the famous ball to after the wedding. Ash is not a damsel in distress- she’s just acting like one. She’s actually working WITH her stepmother and stepsisters while working as a rebel with her grandmother.

We get a little backstory prior to the ball and the full story after the prince and Ash “fall in love”.

I appreciated the author’s timing for the story. Instead of droning about politics and the real story it’s woven perfectly into the new version of the fairytale. I also like that while retelling Cinderella we get a glimpse of after the “normal” fairytale ends.

Currently, a DNF for me.

I was really excited for this one but I just cannot get myself to enjoy it. The characters are dense (not in a good way), the plot is boring and I felt like there was no world building at all. We jumped directly into plot and nothing made sense at all. The magic without consent is really where it lost me.

May pick up again in the future, but it's a big maybe.

This was a fun retelling of Cinderella! I loved the “there’s more to the story than you know” vibes. However, the writing quality could’ve been a bit stronger for me, as such a great premise was at stake. It did feel fresh and new, and I am sure readers will love it. I give it four out of five stars.

A creative turn of events for a Cinderella retelling. I really didn't see this one coming and to tell you the truth, I absolutely loved it. As a Cinderella retelling, there is far more going on than a poor girl smitten by love.

I think Ryland was my favorite character, although Ash came in a close second. He was snarky, knew what he wanted and always had fun. A great way for a secondar character/love interest who screws everything up should be.

The use of magic was unique. A powder, if used correctly, can control the person it was used on. Although, this form of magic is not made from a person's power, but learned to wield like a sword it has its uses in this world and story.

I gave this story five stars since it kept me guessing the whole read with the character manipulation and and the surprise of things going wrong. There' wasn't a point that felt disappointed or weird.

This was a great read. I can't wait for this release day.

I have not read this author before and while she is an excellent writer the execution of this particular twist on the Cinderella fairy tale had me waiting for something real to happen. I think that 2/3 of the story was the build up and 1/3 was the finally the action.

Soria's take on the Cinderella tale needed something more. I needed a chance to know Aislinn/Ash. We get glimpses into Ash's character and there are some witty moments, but I fail to feel for her.

In the background is a campaign to overpower another nation to capitalize on their production of "Lustre" the magical powder that Ash uses to entice and entrap her prince, Everett. Solis, the "prince's" kingdom went to war many years before and have enslaved the loser of the war the country Eloria. Another "twist" to this story is that the prince of Eloria has been a captive of Solis since he was a child and has grown up with Everett in the Solis Kingdom court.

Add in a cruel step-mother, Seraphina, with an agenda of her own, and a couple of step-sisters that are at court to get a couple of rich men of their own and to keep an ever watchful eye on Ash.

I just never truly connected with Ash, Everett, or Verance, (Rance, the Eloria prince). The only one to express true emotions, IMHO, was the soon to be sister-in-law, Mariana, who is married to the current King Ryland.

While this was not an entirely bad read, I just think that the storyline could have been executed better.

Thank you NetGalley, and Random House Ballantine & Del Ray for the ARC.

These opinions are entirely my own.

#ThiefLiarLady #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel. A quick, witty read!

This book was so fun! This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic.

In this unorthodox retelling of Cinderella, the protagonist is actually in league with her step-family to enchant a wealthy suitor, but Aislinn has a slightly different agenda than her stepmother, and instead of just a wealthy noble, she goes after the prince.

This Cinderella story was refreshing in its slant. Instead of an innocent, Aislinn is a full conspirator (though not quite to the same plot her stepmother) in using magic to enchant the prince. Her plans go astray, though, when her magic runs a bit short and the prince's natural inclinations to treat her as a delicate flower appear. On top of that, the hostage prince returns to the castle and is immune to Aislinn's charms--both magical and otherwise.

I think this story was cute and I love a good retelling when done right. What I dont love? magic. Honestly. We didn't need it here and I think it took away from the story.

I actively seek out retellings of familiar fairy tales and folktales, especially since most modern tellings give the female lead character so much more agency in her fate. I always hated that the fairy tale "maidens" were generally passive. It was especially fun that Aislinn in Thief Liar Lady was very much NOT as she appeared, but rather part of a scheming family playing a long game. Many thanks to Del Rey and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this very entertaining novel.

Our MC has been trained to be a seductress/thief/liar all her life by her stepmother, and a spy for the resistance by her grandmother, but she’s bad at all these things. We later learn another character has also been acting as part of the resistance in secret in the palace, and has been able to keep it under wraps much longer than she has and much better. There’s one point where a dog that tracks magic powder alerts to her, and she thinks she’s been found out, so she lies and says she’s been given some by her sewing circle to help with headaches (because Lady Aislinn would get headaches. No one gets headaches but weak women). Her sewing circle has not done this, but you know a lie that can be corroborated? Her future sister in law sits next to her and is sewing the magic powder into her wearing veil one teaspoon at a time. It could have easily gotten onto our MC b/c the women are in such close proximity.

Also did we need magic in this story? Why did we need magic that takes away consent in this story? Our MC has literally been trained to be appealing and appeasing to men her whole life. It’s believable that she could be lying to and seducing him in other ways, and she does, so why include date-rape/SA magic?
How does the magic work? How is it refined and crafted? There was a 20 year war over this stuff to take it from a population who only used it for sacred religious practices so Solis could use it for industry, but we never see those affects. Magic is mostly used for subterfuge. We also never learn much about the religion besides that it has a goddess and they used the magic powder.

Rance (awful name, sounds like Rancid, why would you name your character something so harsh?) is described as having golden skin like all Elorians. Idk if this was the author’s intent, but I can’t stand seeing “golden” used as a stand in for “racially ambiguous brown that could just be tan so maybe it’s a white guy or actually a BIPOC person you can fetishize.” Our MC is also *spoiler* half Elorian but has the look of Solis. This isn’t helped by the fact that Eloria has been occupied/colonized/enslaved by Solis for its magic materials (again, could have been any other resource so we don’t need to include the magical SA plot point) and the citizenry are forced to work in the mines to gather these materials, or as servants. Rance is nicknamed “The Hostage Prince” even, so none of the Elorian characters who are visibly Elorian or known to be Elorian hold any positions of power or equality. I understand they’re meant to have lost a war, but when the only brown (though calling their skin golden might be a way to claim plausible deniability to this fact in the face of criticism, but I digress) people in your story are slaves, hostages, and servants it speaks to the greater racism within publishing and society, and the poor ways BIPOC people are viewed and treated.

The story also tries to have some feminist-y girl power moments where the women roll their eyes at the traditions, or ways men think, but this story hinges on the fact that our MC has to play a very specific role to play that hinges on her ability to play into demure female stereotypes.

And none of that is to mention that the story is too long, convoluted, and internal. We learn basically nothing about this world, its customs, its people, because we spend so much time locked in the palace and inside our MC’s head with her thoughts. We don’t even get to read the conversations she has with other people. It’s pages upon pages of “I talked to this person and got nowhere. There’s no one else I could possibly talk to”. Or giving us a synopsis of the conversations she had rather than getting to read the conversations she’s having. She’s constantly claiming she’s not a bad spy or bad at securing marriage prospects for her stepsisters, but she is. She isn’t the one to do any of the important stuff besides SA the prince!

This is an adult retelling of Cinderella, but the only thing that makes it adult is that the sex isn’t fade to black, and the characters are all (?) adults. They don’t act like it though. This read so much like bad YA, mostly in the fact that it treated the reader like a teen, holding their hand through a story that, while convoluted and overwritten, isn’t complicated.

These are adults. Ash is an adult. She made the choice to join the resistance and gain entry into the royal family/the palace of Solis for the rebellion. As soon as things get hard she gives up because she doesn’t actually care about Eloria, only about Rance. But Rance cares about Eloria, about its people and their place in the world. If she cared for him and what he stands for she would do a better job at using her position to make life better for them.

All the characters are just so flat. There’s no growth. They all just do a thing, but it never really changes how they think or go about actions in the future.

I started off intrigued and liking this book, excited to see where it went. As I read on and became less and less optimistic about characterization (forget about development, give me someone who’s not a paper bag), worldbuilding, and plot I began to hate this book. It doesn’t help that we tread and retread the same scenes and conversations over and over and over. This book could have been 100 pages shorter. It would still get a 1 star, but wouldn’t have wasted so much of my time.

5/5 Stars

TL;DR - A masterfully-crafted story with a powerhouse main character and twisty-turny plot that is infinitely better than the fairy tale it’s based on. Full of gray morality and a dash of downright evil, this is a story of finding oneself, doing what’s right instead of what’s easy, and breaking the yoke of a traumatic childhood in search of happiness. The romance is charming and the very slowest of burns (*chef’s kiss*), and the story races along until the very end. This is probably the best fairytale retelling I’ve ever read.

Big thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Balantine/Del Rey and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

‘Thief Liar Lady’ by D.L. Soria is a retelling of the classic fairytale, ‘Cinderella’. Such retellings are a dime a dozen, but this one offers a fresh and intriguing take that was honestly addictive. The story follows Ash - or Lady Aislinn, as everyone in the palace knows her - a young woman raised by an evil stepmother, yes, but to be a con artist instead of a scullery maid. She uses everything her stepmother taught her to charm her way into Prince Everett’s heart, but as time goes on, she begins to realize that this isn’t a fairytale, and she must do more than sit idly and look the part of a soon-to-be princess. What follows is a plot full of twists and turns, of bravery and betrayal, healing and heartache, none of which are anything like the familiar fairytale we all know.

I went into this book skeptical that it was going to be anything more than a lukewarm retelling with a few creative tweaks, but I am so glad that I was so wrong. I absolutely devoured this book, staying up well past my bedtime to finish it, and I probably woke the neighbors with now many times I shouted in shock and triumph and heartbreak. As much a mystery as it is a romance, a thriller if you judge by pace and the sheer magnitude of plot twists, and overall a gorgeous tale of loyalty, betrayal, hope, and love. This not the Cinderella I grew up on, and it’s magnificent.

Ash is an absolute queen and I had so much fun (and anxiety!) watching her not only move through her schemes and machinations, but also evolve from the used and abused pawn into a fierce woman who realizes her own power and worth. That said, she is absolutely a morally gray character, and she does some pretty shady things, morally and ethically, to carry out her stepmother’s plan. She also does some very brave, selfless things in pursuit of a greater good, and is very much a kind and compassionate woman when operating outside of the plan. Despite personally abhorring some of the things she does, I still found her a compelling and complex character that I was more than happy to follow through the story.

There is a love triangle of sorts, and while that’s not usually my thing, I think it was done well. Both love interests are complex in their own right, and while I’m of course partial to the one she ends up with, I appreciated that both men were presented on mostly-equal footing and that the ‘loser’ of the triangle wasn’t presented in the trope-y ‘bad guy bad choice’ way that I see often. He’s also somewhat morally gray, and like Ash, his actions fall into the territory of ‘for the greater good’, which I found refreshing even beyond the lack of the trope.

Every character is complex and nuanced, even the side characters. I appreciated that all the women in this book have agency and agendas and the drive to do whatever they set their mind to. This is what I mean when I say I want strong female characters - and mind you, all of them are traditionally feminine, because strong women can wear dresses and plot coups over tea without kicking anyone's ass, thank you very much.

Then there’s the plot, which I honestly have a hard time putting into proper words because there’s so much to love and so much going on at all times. Page one starts strong and never relents. Even the moments of apparent peace keep the tension going because even when Ash is resting or taking a bath or what have you, the shadow of being found out and hanged for treason is ever-present, and there’s never a moment where you can catch your breath and think everything is going to work out fine. And the TWISTS. Just when you think you have the mysteries and the intrigue figured out, a twist comes flying out of nowhere and catapults the story in a different direction, and I was delighted every time.

I cannot possibly convey the anxiety the end of this book gave me. There were surely not enough pages left to tie everything neatly together and I was STRESSED, but once again, there was a huge twist out of nowhere and everything got resolved and I can finally breathe. Be ready to guess and gasp and no matter what you think is going to happen, you’re going to be surprised.

The writing is simple and clean, and I didn’t find any descriptions or dialog boring or superfluous. Everything has a place and a purpose, and oftentimes things are worded so well and so thought-provokingly deep that I had to pause to let it sink in. A lot of deep themes are explored with care and depth, like the lifelong effects of childhood trauma, the patriarchal repression of women, capitalism and exploitation of the working class, all that good stuff.

All that said, I do have a few nits to pick.

Sometimes the author tells us something is going to happen, and then we see it happen, and I really, really don’t like that. In the most prominent example, the single line telling us that something was going to happen made me hyper-aware of everything Ash did going forward, and so I picked up on her mistake as soon as she made it, and I have to wonder if I would have picked up on it had I not had it spoiled for me a few pages before. I do know, however, that I would have enjoyed the twist much more if I’d missed the mistake and gone in blind. Authors, you ruin your own tension and work against yourself when you do this, please stop.

There are a lot of anachronisms in dialog and internal thoughts. It’s also hard to pinpoint an approximate real-world timeframe for this book, as the attire is described vaguely but sometimes as medieval, sometimes Victorian, sometimes a bit more modern. This world has indoor plumbing, but no other modern-ish technology to speak of, which was confusing at times. I can’t even give a best guess, because there are different aspects pushing and pulling the approximate timeline forward and backward throughout the book. Not exactly a deal-breaker, but the struggle to reconcile all the little inconsistencies did pull me out of the story from time to time.

Final Thoughts:

I loved this book, plain and simple. It was exciting, it was heart-wrenching and heart-warming, it was anxiety-inducing in the best way. I will be buying a physical copy when it hits shelves.

I typically love a good storybook character retelling. Especially when the author stays away from only updating the setting (and sadly keeps the same classic fairy tale). I love when they shake things up and give the "princesses" more depth. So I was really looking forward to falling in love with a Cinderella who was sassy, and had her own mysterious reasons for attending the famous ball. I found the story itself interesting and unique, but I feel I could have followed along more easily if it wasn't so obviously a retelling. Confusing I know, but as a stand alone story I would have enjoyed it more, and would not have constantly compared it to the cartoon version.

It was a quick read with lots of action and intrigue but I didn't love it. Sadly, character development was lacking, and the ending felt rushed. Way too "happily ever after" for something that tries so hard to be different.

Thank you NetGalley and DelRay for the opportunity to read this and give my opinion.

📚 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖋 𝕷𝖎𝖆𝖗 𝕷𝖆𝖉𝖞
✍️ D. L. Soria
💬 English

I was drawn by the blurb and set my expectation high for this book since Cinderella was my favourite classic tale. I've read number of Cinderella's retelling and they were had their uniques to latch on.

Sadly, I don't find any excitement while reading this book. I love the idea of Aislinn (by the way, such a waste of consonant she had), the supposed-to-be-Cinderella, paved her way to the throne by making vicious and long-run plans along with her stepmother and sisters. But I must say, the execution was poor. The characters were hardly developed. The world building was ... I have no idea. What was that again? Some fantasy version of Victorian era I suppose. It was hard for me to imagine.

Good thing, the romance was my bowl of soup. It was more like YA than NA. Sweet but deep. Genuine and tricky.

This book is perfect for those who looking for a creative fairy tale retelling.
I sincerelly thank the publisher, author and NetGalley for providing me e-copy of this book in exchange for honest review.

𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖋 𝕷𝖎𝖆𝖗 𝕷𝖆𝖉𝖞 is expected to be published on July 11, 2023.

There may not have been a pumpkin carriage or mice footmen, but there is a touch of magic and romance with politics and alliances abound. If you are expecting this to be a retelling, you will be sorely disappointed. This isn't a retelling - more of a "what comes next and the whole fairy tale backstory is just a cute story that is told to the public". Not going to lie, I felt like this dragged and could have been cut down to the same effect. There is a romance, but I wouldn't consider it the main plot.

“Happily Ever After” is a total scam, but at least this time the princess is the one controlling the grift—until her true love arrives and threatens to ruin the whole scheme. Intrigue, magic, and wit abound in this Cinderella fairytale reimagining.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Thief Liar Lady Review

Lady Aislinn/Ash narrates the story from the first-person point of view in Thief Lady Liar. The protagonist's emotions are expressed throughout the book, indicating that the story may not have a happy ending. The style of writing is primarily descriptive, including the protagonist's thoughts, expressions, and observations. However, this style tends to make the story lengthy and slow-paced at times, even though it helps the reader visualize the scenes.

Foreshadowing packed at the beginning of the book hints towards Aislinn's deeper motivations. Although she may seem to be just going through the motions, readers will fully grasp her true intentions halfway through the story. This clever foreshadowing adds an extra layer of intrigue and keeps the reader engaged.

The storyline deviates from the typical helpless female character trope, which sets the stage for an exciting character development arc. However, the ending falls somewhat flat due to Aislinn's short-sighted actions, which fail to address the larger problem. Overall, the plot shows promise but lacks a satisfying resolution.

World-Building

Politics is present in the book, albeit in a subtle manner. It has a touch of idealism with the Solis Kingdom's conquest and enslavement of Eloria. However, the readers' exposure to the world could be more extensive. Most of the scenes happen in the palace, which gives the readers little information about the world. 

In this tale, the enchanting mechanism is one of a kind, utilizing magical dust or lustre along with the individual's purpose to impact someone's conduct. Apart from the laborers who excavate the lustre, one pivotal individual enhances its effectiveness, like a witch. However, the narrative needs to delve deeper into this magic. The reader is only privy to Aislinn and her family using the magical dust. The magical system is genuinely fascinating and adds to the story's creativity.

Characters

Regarding the characters in the book, Aislinn is far from being a typical Cinderella. She puts up a lot of pretenses, making it difficult to discern her true intentions. She often appears angry and irritated, but she does manage to redeem herself by being honest. 

The most intriguing characters are Seraphina (the stepmother) and Aislinn's grandmother. They both have motives and agendas and use Aislinn to achieve their goals. Although their ways of dealing with Ailinn are different, they are similar in that they would do anything to get what they want. 

The portrayal of Prince Everett as a charming person suggests that something more is happening beneath the surface—his interactions with Aislinn hint at a controlling nature. 

Although Lord Verance is involved in the political aspect of the story, he doesn't play a significant role. He is depicted as trapped and helpless while spying on the court, pretending to be disinterested.

Conclusion

At the core of Thief Liar Lady is a love story. In an ingenious move, two noble heirs compete for Aislinn's heart, creating a deliciously tense and romantic triangle. The additional subplot injects some vibrancy and twists into a familiar fairytale.

Thief Liar Lady by D. L. Soria was a fun retelling of Cinderella.

The story was captivating. And hard to put down.
I really enjoyed the characters who were believable and captivating.
The world-building was phenomenal and I loved the vivid details.
Magical, witty banter with a unique setting TLL was an interesting experience.
I’m excited to read more from Soria in the future.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Del Rey for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Loved this retelling of Cinderella with a twist. Magic and romance collide, along with fantasy world politics. Aishlinn/Ash is a conflicted main character, and I enjoyed watching her journey through the book.

She isn't who you think she is.

This is an imaginative retelling of Cinderella. And it was confusing. I wasn't sure about the world-building at all. I constantly felt as if I missed a part somewhere.

The magic was confusing as well with no background for that. All in all, I wouldn't plod through it again.

NetGalley/ July 11, 2023, RHPG DEL REY