However, I will say, the romance does take center stage in this book.

The pace alone is brutal, not to mention all of the violence and murder. There is so much packed into this one book, I swear. This book is a little long, just over 500 pages, but it never lags. All of these tropes are perfectly woven into a very intricate plot full of scheming, betrayal, and violence. Fake dating, no strings attached relationships, enemies to lovers, deciding between duty/family and love, spying, found family… honestly what trope doesn’t this book have? If you’re worried it may be too much- don’t. The mythology and magic of the world actually made sense to me, and the kingdoms themselves all felt fully realized and fleshed out. In fact, it clarified all of the confusion I felt in the first series. Dance of Thieves does not have that problem. And the worldbuilding… The Remnant Chronicles had fantastic worldbuilding when it came to the physical world, but I always felt kinda murky about the magic system. It’s fast and fun but still packs a punch. Pearson’s writing style is elegant yet easy to jump into. This book reminded me of why I loved The Kiss of Deception so much. The final book in that series, The Beauty of Darkness wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t bad and I still had fond memories of the series as a whole. It was a refreshing, fun read and I truly loved it. Pearson won my heart with The Kiss of Deception. “You must find the magic that warms your skin in winter, the magic that perceives what cannot be seen, the magic that curls in your gut with fierce power and will not let you give up, no matter how long or cold the days.” Writing & Setting They call to you in unexpected moments, their hands lacing with yours and pulling you down paths that lead nowhere.” When Kazi and her friends come into the picture, Jase knows better than to trust her, but the more he learns about her, the harder it is to stop himself from falling for her. However, he knows that his transition into power will be rocky.

While his lands may not be “officially” recognized as a kingdom, his family has a tight hold on them. Jase Ballenger is the new Patrei, head of the Ballenger clan. When she is sent on a mission to another kingdom to find a missing war criminal, under the pretense of investigating treaty violations, she has no doubts that she will get the job done. However, her skills as a thief earned her a spot as a member of the Queen’s most elite soldiers, the Rahtan. Kazi of Brightmast grew up a thief, alone on the streets after her mother was taken from her. But don’t worry, if you haven’t read those books, you will still get full enjoyment out of these.

Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Torture, Rape Mention, Animal Death, War Themes, Murder, Illness, PTSD, Kidnapping/Abduction //ĭance of Thieves is the first in a duology that takes place in the same world as The Remnant Chronicles.

The dance of the thieves