What are some of your favorite fantasy tropes to read about? One of mine has quickly become the "fantasy heist." If a book is comped to Leigh Bardugo's trend-setting Six of Crows (Which itself was first comped to the movie Ocean's 11), then I immediately sit up and take notice.
Granted, this has led to some unfair comparisons, and readers don't always like the new book because "it isn't just like Six of Crows." For ME, it is more about the heart of a book. I don't want something that is exactly the same. If it is has the same heart, the same core, the same ability to emotionally resonate with me, I'm in. I need a lovable rag-tag team willing to risk it all to do something dangerous. Bonus points if doing so means saving the world.
Here are the books that I feel most have these elements I'm looking for. I would love to hear your favorites, as well, so I can expand my own TBR!
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1. INTO THE CROOKED PLACE by Alexandra Christo
Let's be honest: I wanted this book before there was ever a title or summary and marked UNTITLED as TBR on Goodreads. I LOVED Christo's debut TO KILL A KINGDOM, in part due to her writing style, and I knew I would be picking up whatever was next immediately. When details emerged that this was a fantasy heist, I wanted it even more. Christo once again excels at atmosheric world-building, with a full team of diverse characters and a dark, intriguing magic system.
2. SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo
This one needs no introduction, am I right? Fantasy heists have been around since before this book, but this is what popularized them and made it a favorite YA trope for many right now. I loved the Shadow and Bone trilogy and was really excited when I heard Bardugo would be returning to the world with a new, albeit very different series. And I have loved seeing so many new fans of the Grishaverse join the fray thanks to SOC. These characters are dark and their world is gritty, and you wouldn't expect to fall so intensely in love, but you do.
That said, I wouldn't necessarily recommend SIX OF CROWS as the first Bardugo book you read. I'd still say read the Shadow and Bone trilogy first. A) I have a lot of friends who started with SOC and DNF because they couldn't understand the magic system. Bardugo doesn't describe the magic of the Grisha in depth again because she already did that once with the initial trilogy. B) If you don't like spoilers. There are, of course, mentions of the way the first series ended in passing, but there is also a really big spoiler for the second book of the original trilogy, so heads up!
3. THE GILDED WOLVES by Roshani Chokshi
This was one of my favorite books last year! This world is fierce and full of teeth. It also uses a stunning magic system I wish were real -- especially when it comes to clothing. I loved the way it dripped with history and facts. And, of course, it doesn't hurt that it takes place in Paris.
I know a few people were disappointed with it because "it was comped to SIX OF CROWS but wasn't very much like it." In truth, I would compare it more to THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown because of the way information is woven into and used for the heist, and some of the magic with the decadent dresses, etc, was a bit reminiscent of part of why I loved CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber so much.
I really liked the diversity of the cast and the way we are once again dealing with characters out for themselves and not necessarily for the greater good. But as the story expands and gets deeper, man, I'm really going to need to get my hands on the sequel THE SILVERED SERPENTS soon!
4. AS SHE ASCENDS by Jodi Meadows
This book is unique on the list in the fact that it is the second book in a trilogy. And the first book, BEFORE SHE IGNITES, bears no resemblance to this trope until possibly the very end. But this middle book? Man, it gave me all the feels. This is one of those series where each book is better than the last.
BEFORE SHE IGNITES has so much set-up and our main character Mira is locked away in prison for a large chunk of the book for discovering a dangerous secret in order to keep her quiet. There's a lot of interesting mythology about the world and the unique culture of each island making up the Fallen Isles. Plus, Mira has a lot of anxiety, and it's so rare and lovely to see a fantasy book dealing with real-world issues that are often glossed over.
AS SHE ASCENDS is much more action-packed and super bad-ass. I'm not comparing it to other books or expecting you to go in with any such expectations, but at its core, it has the emotional heart that resonates in these heist fantasies I love so much.
I love the way this series spirals deeper and deeper as Mira and her friends uncover the horrific things being done to dragons and trying to save them despite the many odds stacked against them and powerful people trying to keep them down!
5. ROYAL BASTARDS by Andrew Shvarts
This is the book on the list that actually makes me really sad. It is SO GOOD and nobody ever talks about it or seems to have heard about it.
This book is so bad-ass. I said that when I was only 80 pages in and everything was going wrong and I was describing the book to a co-worker. I still say that now after finishing!
One of the reasons I was first intrigued by Andrew Shvarts' debut novel ROYAL BASTARDS was because it was comped to SIX OF CROWS. When I finally sat down to start reading and read the summary again, I just couldn't see the comparison. That's because I was expecting it to comp in a heist sense. After reading this? Despite not seeming so in the summary, the books are DEFINITELY in the same wheelhouse. Both feature a group of teens on the run trying to save someone--and they all have bounties on their heads. Both have--tasks, for lack of a better world--that can upend the world if not carried out. And, of course, just the gritty feel to it all. So if you like SIX OF CROWS? Yeah, I think you're going to like ROYAL BASTARDS, too.
There's danger. Heartache. Betrayal. First love. Friendship. Questions of loyalty. So many good things that keep you reading!
6. THE SMOKE THIEVES by Sally Green
I haven't actually read this trilogy yet despite owning the first two books. *hides* It's one of those things where I wanted to read it right away because I had just read (at the time) ROYAL BASTARDS and was so excited for more fantasy heists like it and SIX OF CROWS. But I never had time to wedge it in. And then the sequel was upon us, and sometimes when I'm that backed up, I think, "Well, why not just wait one more year at this point and binge the trilogy?" The final book comes out this fall and I have it pre-ordered from Book Depository (I prefer the UK covers for this series, and the first came in a UK book box with the UK cover, so.... *shrug*), so I hope to finally read this before the end of the year!
Just look at the summary and tell me this one doesn't belong on the list:
BONUS:
DANGEROUS REMEDY by Kat Dunn
I decided to list DANGEROUS REMEDY as a BONUS book because it's not easily obtained just yet. The book was scheduled to release on May 5th, but due to the current pandemic, the hardcover, physical book release was postponed to August 6th. You can buy it right now if you live in the UK and listen to audiobooks on Audible or read ebooks (It is free on Kindle Unlimited or on sale for £4.19 to own). You can also get the audiobook in the US exclusively through Audible atm (The book was not acquired by US publishing houses and can only be imported through websites such as Book Depository once released.) I only own the book because the Illumicrate Book Subscription Box, based in the UK, had a deal with the publisher for an exclusive editon, and was able to still send it out this past month. Since the book is harder to obtain, I added it as a bonus. (That said, I LOVE using Book Depository when I want a book (or cover, like the aforementioned Smoke Thieves trilogy) from the UK. The prices are excellent and the shipping to the USA is FREE!
Because this only just came out, I haven't had a chance to dive in yet, but hope to do so soon! I'm not certain how well it fits on this list, but the summary on the inside flap makes me think it's a good match. At the very least, there is definitely a ragtag "squad" of characters involved, since it came in a box where the theme was Squad Goals! ^.~
Here's a peek at the summary.
Let's be honest: I wanted this book before there was ever a title or summary and marked UNTITLED as TBR on Goodreads. I LOVED Christo's debut TO KILL A KINGDOM, in part due to her writing style, and I knew I would be picking up whatever was next immediately. When details emerged that this was a fantasy heist, I wanted it even more. Christo once again excels at atmosheric world-building, with a full team of diverse characters and a dark, intriguing magic system.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The streets of Creije are for the deadly and the dreamers, and four crooks in particular know just how much magic they need up their sleeve to survive.
Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.
Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.
Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.
And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.
Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.
ADD TO GOODREADS:
2. SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo
This one needs no introduction, am I right? Fantasy heists have been around since before this book, but this is what popularized them and made it a favorite YA trope for many right now. I loved the Shadow and Bone trilogy and was really excited when I heard Bardugo would be returning to the world with a new, albeit very different series. And I have loved seeing so many new fans of the Grishaverse join the fray thanks to SOC. These characters are dark and their world is gritty, and you wouldn't expect to fall so intensely in love, but you do.
That said, I wouldn't necessarily recommend SIX OF CROWS as the first Bardugo book you read. I'd still say read the Shadow and Bone trilogy first. A) I have a lot of friends who started with SOC and DNF because they couldn't understand the magic system. Bardugo doesn't describe the magic of the Grisha in depth again because she already did that once with the initial trilogy. B) If you don't like spoilers. There are, of course, mentions of the way the first series ended in passing, but there is also a really big spoiler for the second book of the original trilogy, so heads up!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .
A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.
ADD TO GOODREADS:
A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.
3. THE GILDED WOLVES by Roshani Chokshi
This was one of my favorite books last year! This world is fierce and full of teeth. It also uses a stunning magic system I wish were real -- especially when it comes to clothing. I loved the way it dripped with history and facts. And, of course, it doesn't hurt that it takes place in Paris.
I know a few people were disappointed with it because "it was comped to SIX OF CROWS but wasn't very much like it." In truth, I would compare it more to THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown because of the way information is woven into and used for the heist, and some of the magic with the decadent dresses, etc, was a bit reminiscent of part of why I loved CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber so much.
I really liked the diversity of the cast and the way we are once again dealing with characters out for themselves and not necessarily for the greater good. But as the story expands and gets deeper, man, I'm really going to need to get my hands on the sequel THE SILVERED SERPENTS soon!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.
It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.
ADD TO GOODREADS:
It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.
4. AS SHE ASCENDS by Jodi Meadows
This book is unique on the list in the fact that it is the second book in a trilogy. And the first book, BEFORE SHE IGNITES, bears no resemblance to this trope until possibly the very end. But this middle book? Man, it gave me all the feels. This is one of those series where each book is better than the last.
BEFORE SHE IGNITES has so much set-up and our main character Mira is locked away in prison for a large chunk of the book for discovering a dangerous secret in order to keep her quiet. There's a lot of interesting mythology about the world and the unique culture of each island making up the Fallen Isles. Plus, Mira has a lot of anxiety, and it's so rare and lovely to see a fantasy book dealing with real-world issues that are often glossed over.
AS SHE ASCENDS is much more action-packed and super bad-ass. I'm not comparing it to other books or expecting you to go in with any such expectations, but at its core, it has the emotional heart that resonates in these heist fantasies I love so much.
I love the way this series spirals deeper and deeper as Mira and her friends uncover the horrific things being done to dragons and trying to save them despite the many odds stacked against them and powerful people trying to keep them down!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
MIRA, THE HOPEBEARER
Mira Minkoba is on the run with her friends after a fiery escape from the Pit, where she’d been imprisoned for defending the dragons she loves. And she wants answers. Where have all the dragons been taken? Why are powerful noorestones being shipped to the mainland? And did the treaty she’s been defending her whole life truly sell out the Fallen Isles to their enemies?
MIRA, THE DRAGONHEARTED
As her connection to the dragons—and their power—grows stronger, so does Mira’s fear that she might lose control and hurt someone she loves. But the only way to find the truth is to go home again, to Damina, to face the people who betrayed her and the parents she’s not sure she can trust.
Home, where she must rise above her fears. Or be consumed.
The second page-turning novel in Jodi Meadows’ Fallen Isles trilogy scorches with mysterious magic and riveting romance as one girl kindles a spark into a flame.
ADD TO GOODREADS:
Mira Minkoba is on the run with her friends after a fiery escape from the Pit, where she’d been imprisoned for defending the dragons she loves. And she wants answers. Where have all the dragons been taken? Why are powerful noorestones being shipped to the mainland? And did the treaty she’s been defending her whole life truly sell out the Fallen Isles to their enemies?
MIRA, THE DRAGONHEARTED
As her connection to the dragons—and their power—grows stronger, so does Mira’s fear that she might lose control and hurt someone she loves. But the only way to find the truth is to go home again, to Damina, to face the people who betrayed her and the parents she’s not sure she can trust.
Home, where she must rise above her fears. Or be consumed.
The second page-turning novel in Jodi Meadows’ Fallen Isles trilogy scorches with mysterious magic and riveting romance as one girl kindles a spark into a flame.
5. ROYAL BASTARDS by Andrew Shvarts
This is the book on the list that actually makes me really sad. It is SO GOOD and nobody ever talks about it or seems to have heard about it.
This book is so bad-ass. I said that when I was only 80 pages in and everything was going wrong and I was describing the book to a co-worker. I still say that now after finishing!
One of the reasons I was first intrigued by Andrew Shvarts' debut novel ROYAL BASTARDS was because it was comped to SIX OF CROWS. When I finally sat down to start reading and read the summary again, I just couldn't see the comparison. That's because I was expecting it to comp in a heist sense. After reading this? Despite not seeming so in the summary, the books are DEFINITELY in the same wheelhouse. Both feature a group of teens on the run trying to save someone--and they all have bounties on their heads. Both have--tasks, for lack of a better world--that can upend the world if not carried out. And, of course, just the gritty feel to it all. So if you like SIX OF CROWS? Yeah, I think you're going to like ROYAL BASTARDS, too.
There's danger. Heartache. Betrayal. First love. Friendship. Questions of loyalty. So many good things that keep you reading!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.
At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.
Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.
Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.
The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey . . .
ADD TO GOODREADS:
At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.
Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.
Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.
The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey . . .
Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.
Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.
Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.
And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.
Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.
6. THE SMOKE THIEVES by Sally Green
I haven't actually read this trilogy yet despite owning the first two books. *hides* It's one of those things where I wanted to read it right away because I had just read (at the time) ROYAL BASTARDS and was so excited for more fantasy heists like it and SIX OF CROWS. But I never had time to wedge it in. And then the sequel was upon us, and sometimes when I'm that backed up, I think, "Well, why not just wait one more year at this point and binge the trilogy?" The final book comes out this fall and I have it pre-ordered from Book Depository (I prefer the UK covers for this series, and the first came in a UK book box with the UK cover, so.... *shrug*), so I hope to finally read this before the end of the year!
Just look at the summary and tell me this one doesn't belong on the list:
ABOUT THE BOOK:
**The first book in the new historical fantasy series from the author of Half Bad**
A princess, a traitor, a soldier, a hunter and a thief. Five teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Five nations destined for conflict.
In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father, while her true love, Ambrose, faces the executioner's block.
In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people.
In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town.
And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell.
As alliances shift and shatter, and old certainties are overturned, our five heroes find their past lives transformed and their futures inextricably linked by the unpredictable tides of magic and war.
Who will rise and who will fall? And who will claim the ultimate prize?
ADD TO GOODREADS:
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| UK Cover |
A princess, a traitor, a soldier, a hunter and a thief. Five teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Five nations destined for conflict.
In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father, while her true love, Ambrose, faces the executioner's block.
In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people.
In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town.
And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell.
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| US Cover |
As alliances shift and shatter, and old certainties are overturned, our five heroes find their past lives transformed and their futures inextricably linked by the unpredictable tides of magic and war.
Who will rise and who will fall? And who will claim the ultimate prize?
BONUS:
DANGEROUS REMEDY by Kat Dunn
I decided to list DANGEROUS REMEDY as a BONUS book because it's not easily obtained just yet. The book was scheduled to release on May 5th, but due to the current pandemic, the hardcover, physical book release was postponed to August 6th. You can buy it right now if you live in the UK and listen to audiobooks on Audible or read ebooks (It is free on Kindle Unlimited or on sale for £4.19 to own). You can also get the audiobook in the US exclusively through Audible atm (The book was not acquired by US publishing houses and can only be imported through websites such as Book Depository once released.) I only own the book because the Illumicrate Book Subscription Box, based in the UK, had a deal with the publisher for an exclusive editon, and was able to still send it out this past month. Since the book is harder to obtain, I added it as a bonus. (That said, I LOVE using Book Depository when I want a book (or cover, like the aforementioned Smoke Thieves trilogy) from the UK. The prices are excellent and the shipping to the USA is FREE!
Because this only just came out, I haven't had a chance to dive in yet, but hope to do so soon! I'm not certain how well it fits on this list, but the summary on the inside flap makes me think it's a good match. At the very least, there is definitely a ragtag "squad" of characters involved, since it came in a box where the theme was Squad Goals! ^.~
Here's a peek at the summary.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Camille, a revolutionary's daughter, leads a band of outcasts – a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding.
As the Battalion des Mortes they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl's no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she?
In these dangerous days, no one can be trusted, everyone is to be feared. As Camille learns the truth, she's forced to choose between loyalty to those she loves and the future.
ADD TO GOODREADS:
As the Battalion des Mortes they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl's no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she?
In these dangerous days, no one can be trusted, everyone is to be feared. As Camille learns the truth, she's forced to choose between loyalty to those she loves and the future.
What are your favorite fantasy heist novels?
*****You may have seen yesterday's blog's post or this week's Instagram photos talking about the new weekly Fierce Reads FRtbr Initiative, where the YA team will promote a new group of titles each week. We can choose whether or not we want to take part in the initiative, and if so, what titles to promote and how we wish to feature them. This is not any sort of sponsored post, and I already own and feel strongly for the book (INTO THE CROOKED PLACE) I built today's post around. I am happy to take part in these promotions when they feature books I love, because I want you to love them as well!*****
~*~
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