Release Day Review: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Title: Midnight Thief
Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: Book One in the Midnight Thief Series
Published By: Disney-Hyperion (July 8, 2014)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars!

Book Description:
Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

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Even though I love books with settings in a different time and a different place, I admit that this one started out a little slow for me and I wasn't quite sure if it was going to end up being the stand out read I was really hoping it would be. Thankfully, it didn't take very long for it to start to pick up, the story to get interesting and me to quickly become wrapped up in the story line.

I had a feeling from the very first few pages that I was going to like Kyra and I was right, the more I read, the more I liked her. She isn't your average heroine. She is a street rat that has had to fight her way up since she was abandoned at a small age. She knows very little about her earlier years except through what she gets through dreams and nightmares and knows virtually nothing about her heritage. 

She lives in a time when woman don't have a lot of options and are regularly misunderstood and underestimated and although she is underprivileged, she is strong and cunning and does what she has to to survive. 

This story has a lot of the great elements I love in both a historic read and a well made up fantasy. There were twist and turns and surprises around every new corner and before I knew it I was quickly engaged in the story. 

There was even just enough hint of romance to keep the romantic in me happy without taking away from the original adventurous storyline. 

I don't see any indication that there will be a sequel but with the ending such as it was, I am truly hoping there will be because if there is, I will be right there waiting to pick it up and start right back in where this one left off. 

(Since writing this review I have learned there is a planned series for this book and I am super excited about it. I have also learned that there is a prequel called Poison Dance that I also plan to read (it is also free right now on Amazon!).)

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*