Thank you to Harper Teen and Qamar Tours for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Book Title: The Theft Of Sunlight
Author: Intisar Khanani (http://booksbyintisar.com/)
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publication Date: March 23rd, 2021
Publisher: HarperTeen (US/CA), Hot Key (UK)
Cover Artist: Jenny Zemanek (http://www.seedlingsonline.com)
ONGOING PREORDER PROMOTION: http://booksbyintisar.com/2021/02/10/theft-of-sunlight-preorder-promo/
I did not choose this fate. But I will not walk away from it.
Children have been disappearing from across Menaiya for longer than Amraeya ni Ansarim can remember. When her friend’s sister is snatched, Rae knows she can’t look away any longer - even if that means seeking answers from the royal court, where her country upbringing and clubfoot will only invite ridicule.
Yet the court holds its share of surprises. There she discovers an ally in the foreign princess, who recruits her as an attendant. Armed with the princess’s support, Rae seeks answers in the dark city streets, finding unexpected help in a rough-around-the-edges street thief with secrets of his own. But treachery runs deep, and the more Rae uncovers, the more she endangers the kingdom itself.
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I absolutely loved this one!
When I first started reading Thorn back in early 2020 I didn't know what to expect and I also didn't know the original story it was a retelling of, but I found myself completely captivated by it and couldn't put it down.
I didn't believe its companion The Theft of Sunlight would have the same effect on me but I was proven wrong.
From the very beginning, I was captivated by it. Our new main character Rae is quickly introduced as a person who would do anything for those she cares about, especially if they are looked down upon by other people. What's more, Rae is just a normal girl whose motivation to help her best friend and keep her sister safe is what drives her to help others too. I loved that about her, and she is certainly a new favourite character. I love her strength and how real her reactions were whenever somebody from higher up would start having bigger expectations from her than she was initially willing to give.
I loved how we meet some of the old characters in this one too and even though I don't remember them much, I loved seeing them again. We see Alyrra and Kestrin from Rae's POV which was different and refreshing, it basically shows how they project themselves to the people around them and I loved that.
I did predict some of the main twists kind of early on but this didn't stop me from enjoying my read at all because of how much I was invested in Rae's story. I'm also obsessed with Bren and after what happened at the end of the book, I can't wait to see more of him. I want to know his reaction and what his actions will be.
Something I didn't expect at all at the end of the book was what happened to Rae. I did manage to foresee some of it but not what actually happened to her. What I absolutely loved however is her final determination. I can't wait for the second book now.
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About the author:
Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. She has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. Intisar used to write grants and develop projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy.