Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Review: Thief: The Academy by C.L. Stone

Title: Thief
Author: C.L. Stone
Series: Book One in the Scarab Beetle Series
Published: February 26, 2014
Source: ARC Copy Provided By the Author (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: NA Mystery/Romance
My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Book Description:
Kayli Winchester is a dirt-poor girl living out of a hotel, forced to be the parent for a drunken father and teenage brother who she’s desperate to keep in school. The only way she scrapes by is to utilize her one skill: pickpocketing. But even though she’s a thief she has a moral code: no kids or old ladies, only targets who can defend themselves. Not that they see her coming…

Thinking she’s been working under the radar, Kayli has no idea The Academy has been watching and taking notice. Now a team that needs her skill has offered her a way out of her predicament and it’s her last chance: work with them, or face jail time. Kayli resists at first, but slowly the boys reveal they can be trusted. With Marc, the straight man, Raven, the bad-boy Russian, Corey and Brandon the twins as different as night and day, and Axel their stoic leader, there’s a lot Kayli can learn from these Academy guys about living on the edge of the law. If only she can stay on the good side instead of the bad.

Especially when the job they offer her is more than any of them bargained for. After it’s done, the hunters have become the hunted and their target is now after Kayli. The Academy boys do their best to keep her hidden, but a thief like Kayli will never sit still for long.

Meet an all-new Academy team in Thief, the beginning of the Scarab Beetle series.

Warning: This is a new adult series. Readers of the other Academy series may need some caution as this series will contain mature sexual and violent situations and themes.








A book all about being sneaky with a snarkish heroine and a room full of really hot tempting guys, what's not to love?

Time to be honest here, I picked this up because the premises sounded cute and fun and I wanted to check it out and see what it was all about. I didn't go into this thinking I would love it, I was only hoping I would like it and have a fun time while reading it.

I didn't expect to get hooked after the first chapter and have a really hard time putting it down. Maybe it was all the intrigue or the mystery, or maybe it was even the action, or, okay, maybe it was all the darn eye candy and sexual tension after only the first couple of chapters, either way, there you have it. I really liked this, a lot in fact. 

And here is the kicker, this has a ton of typical YA tropes that I usually abhor but yet, they worked in this one. Angst, love tri...errr, rectangle, pentagon? Main female character that all the guys want and yet she has no clue she is gorgeous....Whatever, you get the idea. Either way, this normally would have had me rolling my eyes and sighing in frustration but it didn't. 

For some crazy reason it just didn't. Instead I got wrapped up in the story and instead of throwing the book across the room, I wanted more.

I don't even understand the appeal myself honestly expect that I never quite knew who to trust and who was being honest. I couldn't tell who was sincere and who was just playing a game and most of all, I wanted to know more about The Academy. 

Having never read any of the authors other books I was completely clueless going into this one and while again, that might have bothered me with other books, it just didn't with this one. I liked unveiling the mysteries one by one and I even liked being left without all my questions being answered. Heck, I even liked the cliffie at the end.

I truly did get wrapped up in the story and I will definitely be picking the next one up without any hesitation.






*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by an outside source. I was not compensated for this review.*

27 comments:

  1. Sometimes, the tropes get combined just right, and the formula we've seen so many times actually woThis sounds like a very entertaining read, despite its many flaws, and I'm in the mood for some simple fun.
    Wonderful review, Ali!

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  2. "love tri...errr, rectangle, pentagon?" *snickers* Sometimes things just line up right so that things you usually don't like are totally fine. Incidentally, I love when this happens. I'll definitely put this on my wishlist. It sounds fun :) Great review!

    Jessica @ Rabid Reads

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  3. Ha, all of those tropes on a typical day would make me run, but sometimes together magic happens. I also find that sometimes a fun, predictable, eye roller is exactly what I need for a few hours of escape. To me it's the equivalent of a sitcom, you enjoyed it and laugh but two weeks from now won't really remember all the details.

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    1. That is the perfect way to put it Kim and I totally agree.

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  4. I love it when this happens Ali! When a book has all these elements that would typically drive me crazy and have me lowering my rating each time I encountered one, but then for some inexplicable reason, all those same elements combine in a way that doesn't end up bothering me at all. Definitely going to check this one out:)

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    1. Thanks Jenny, it is crazy how that happens sometimes.

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  5. Saying all those nice things, and yet I know this series isn't for me. I hate cliffhangers, and unanswered question. They make me buggy.

    One thing I do love is how different people are. I'm glad you enjoyed the book. :-)

    Anna from Shout with Emaginette

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    1. Thanks Anna, I agree this wouldn't be for everyone.

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  6. Well that's good that the annoying things didn't bother you for this one. I hadn't even heard of it before but the description did get my attention!

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  7. That is terrific that your gamble paid off. I can't believe that all those typical YA tropes didn't bother you, this might be worth the risk if you found it so entertaining.

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    1. I know, it really was crazy that this appealed to me but..there you have it. ;)

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  8. It's awesome when that happens! I'm so glad you enjoyed this instead of being annoyed by the tropes that would normally tick you off. Sometimes they can make the perfect storm of predictability that just works for whatever reason. It's happened to me before too. Awesome review! :-)

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  9. I haven't seen this book before but now when you mention strong main characters, hot guys and story that you cannot put down. Well what's there not to love. Great review, Ali :)

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  10. It sounds like the author got the mix of tropes just right so that it worked, which is pretty tough to do I think!

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  11. Great review as always :)! Sounds cute!

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  12. A love- pentagon? Kinky! Sounds like a political porno. lol. Seriously this does seem like a good read.

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  13. Sometimes those tropes work and it sounds like the authors writing and the character are what helped make it work. Yay, for surprises like that. Glad you enjoyed the story :)

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  14. I have this, but I haven't read it yet. You have definitely got me interested.

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    1. I can't wait to see what you thought about it Ellen.

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  15. lmao pentagon cannot stop laughing, hope it at least works.

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