What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thief
Once upon a time, two girls from opposite corners of the globe collide in a deceptively sleepy town in the deep south. Their unlikely friendship becomes the catalyst that unravels Havenwood's most closely guarded secrets, and will change their lives forever.
Jul Graham doesn't know what to expect when she's sent to live with her grandmother after her father's abrupt disappearance, but it certainly isn't a private school full of foreign students and a magic mirror in her backyard. Her new best friend is a blonde girl who speaks Japanese, and all of the adults - including her grandmother - treat Jul like she's some sort of time bomb. On top of that, she's a subject of interest to her new classmates, who don't seem entirely normal themselves. What is Havenwood hiding?
Jul Graham doesn't know what to expect when she's sent to live with her grandmother after her father's abrupt disappearance, but it certainly isn't a private school full of foreign students and a magic mirror in her backyard. Her new best friend is a blonde girl who speaks Japanese, and all of the adults - including her grandmother - treat Jul like she's some sort of time bomb. On top of that, she's a subject of interest to her new classmates, who don't seem entirely normal themselves. What is Havenwood hiding?
308 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2013
4 people are currently reading
999 people want to read
About the author
Aine Crabtree
1 book14 followersAine Crabtree is the creator / earth mother goddess of an alternate universe, where the good are sacrificed upon the Altar of Cliffhangers and the wicked flourish to prolong the dramatic tension. She lives in Huntsville, AL with Spike, the world’s cutest kitten, plotting her escape to somewhere less humid. She is still waiting to be recruited by the X-Men.
A short interview can be read here.
A short interview can be read here.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 16, 2015
Понравилась мне эта книга. Особенно последние процентов эдак 30. Не смотря на тот факт, что штампов в ней с самого начала предостаточно. Хотя это даже не раздражало.
Единственным минусом книги (хотя это смотря как посмотреть), являлось то, что второстепенные персонажи получились намного круче главных. Чего только стоил Хемлок и Кей Сакамото.
Советую почитать всем, если хотите немного отдохнуть. Не возлагайте на книгу больших надежд, она буквально на один вечер: прочитал и забыл. Впрочем, вечер этот будет приятный.
Жаль, кстати, что прикрыли выпуск этой серии. Мне было бы любопытно почитать вторую часть, но, как говорится, увы. Книга не набрала нужный уровень популярности.
Итог: 7 из 10
Единственным минусом книги (хотя это смотря как посмотреть), являлось то, что второстепенные персонажи получились намного круче главных. Чего только стоил Хемлок и Кей Сакамото.
Советую почитать всем, если хотите немного отдохнуть. Не возлагайте на книгу больших надежд, она буквально на один вечер: прочитал и забыл. Впрочем, вечер этот будет приятный.
Жаль, кстати, что прикрыли выпуск этой серии. Мне было бы любопытно почитать вторую часть, но, как говорится, увы. Книга не набрала нужный уровень популярности.
Итог: 7 из 10
July 5, 2013
Throughout the past ten years or so I have read countless YA series. Ones that follow only one main character to series like Crabtree's that follow multiple. I have to say, normally I shy away from more than one narrator in a story but "The Thief" threw me for a loop. Each of her characters had a special something that hooked me. I was intrigued from the get-go by Jul's quiet nature, Camille's rebellious tendencies, and, of course, Mac's good heart and humor. Not to mention my crush over Rhys and sweet love for quiet Destin kept me happily reading. The story could have been worthless and I'd still read it--I'd follow Crabtree's characters anywhere. They are just that relatable and likeable. Luckily, however, the story was a grand adventure that I had a blast reading. I can't wait until the second book in the series comes out! And the third, and the fourth, and so on!
August 30, 2013
Rating my own book makes me feel like Leslie Knope voting for herself for city council. Partially guilty, but mostly "I've always wanted to do this."
December 2, 2013
(4.5 Stars)
Reading the synopsis of The Thief, I thought it sounded really interesting. The beginning of the book is a little slow. I found this mainly due to a little too much description to introduce new places and characters. Yet as the story continued, this problem disappeared almost entirely. The story is told mainly from three points of view (although there are a few added in later in the story). Regardless, I would say the real main character is Jul. She, and the other three main characters, were very interesting and likable in their own ways. The dialogue was also very good. It kept the emotion high, yet there was still plenty of humor. My favorite part of The Thief is the plot. While it is not wholly unique, the individual elements were very refreshing and well done. There are a number of plot twists that I also really enjoyed. By the second half of this book I just couldn't stop reading. And the ending was very, very good. I would say that this story is just as good as any of your main stream popular YA novels. In a way it reminded me a little bit of plot of Beautiful Creatures (mainly for it's setting and some of it's plot-although I did not like Beautiful Creatures very much). I cannot wait to check out the second book. I recommend this story if you like YA with a interesting bit of supernatural. :) Happy reading!
Reading the synopsis of The Thief, I thought it sounded really interesting. The beginning of the book is a little slow. I found this mainly due to a little too much description to introduce new places and characters. Yet as the story continued, this problem disappeared almost entirely. The story is told mainly from three points of view (although there are a few added in later in the story). Regardless, I would say the real main character is Jul. She, and the other three main characters, were very interesting and likable in their own ways. The dialogue was also very good. It kept the emotion high, yet there was still plenty of humor. My favorite part of The Thief is the plot. While it is not wholly unique, the individual elements were very refreshing and well done. There are a number of plot twists that I also really enjoyed. By the second half of this book I just couldn't stop reading. And the ending was very, very good. I would say that this story is just as good as any of your main stream popular YA novels. In a way it reminded me a little bit of plot of Beautiful Creatures (mainly for it's setting and some of it's plot-although I did not like Beautiful Creatures very much). I cannot wait to check out the second book. I recommend this story if you like YA with a interesting bit of supernatural. :) Happy reading!
July 11, 2013
This has to be the most fun I've had reading a book in a long time. The Thief is a page-turner that will keep you reading late into the night.Crabtree's characters are truly captivating; readers will quickly find one or two-or several- to relate to. The Thief offers an intricate and attention-grabbing story that leaves you--or at least, left me--waiting anxiously for the rest of the series.
December 8, 2013
I was hooked from the first couple of pages, a very good light and simple read. Most of the plot twists I was not expecting. Ever since the library scene, I've been wanting more and more Rhys and Jul scenes. (Not quite satisfied, gimme more romance!) An overall great book!
July 6, 2013
good book. Entertaining. I can't wait to see what happens to Juliet in book two!
July 14, 2013
LOVED IT. O_O
July 24, 2013
This was a book that I could not put down. Filled with characters that you grow to love and some that you hate. The narrative perspective from each of the characters adds a unique style to this book.
July 25, 2016
Wow!
I liked this book A LOT! Going into it I didn't think I would simply because there are so many fantasy/supernatural story lines out there and most are cheesy, not well thought out and not terribly original. This book is an exception to that in so many ways. The characters were believable and likable with such a diversity in personality you couldn't help but be interested in their interactions with each other. And the suspense the author creates in this book is pretty top-notch. You really don't know until the end who is good or evil. You think you have an idea but a character will do something that forces you to think twice about how you view them and the plot line is just full of twists and turns that always keep things interesting.
I only gave this 4 stars however because there was a portion of the ending that didn't do it for me. A big event in the plot gets resolved in a slightly cheesy way that just felt to me like a cop out. Also, this book changes point of views all the time and gets told from a few different characters' perspective. This wouldn't be bad if the author kept a sense of consistency with her POV within each character. For one character, the POV would go from a first-person to a third-person in the same chapter. If the point of view had stayed either first-person (which I think would be stronger for this book) or third-person, it would have been easier to read.
Those are really my only two reasons for not giving it 5 stars but I definitely enjoyed this book and now can't wait for the second to be released.
I liked this book A LOT! Going into it I didn't think I would simply because there are so many fantasy/supernatural story lines out there and most are cheesy, not well thought out and not terribly original. This book is an exception to that in so many ways. The characters were believable and likable with such a diversity in personality you couldn't help but be interested in their interactions with each other. And the suspense the author creates in this book is pretty top-notch. You really don't know until the end who is good or evil. You think you have an idea but a character will do something that forces you to think twice about how you view them and the plot line is just full of twists and turns that always keep things interesting.
I only gave this 4 stars however because there was a portion of the ending that didn't do it for me. A big event in the plot gets resolved in a slightly cheesy way that just felt to me like a cop out. Also, this book changes point of views all the time and gets told from a few different characters' perspective. This wouldn't be bad if the author kept a sense of consistency with her POV within each character. For one character, the POV would go from a first-person to a third-person in the same chapter. If the point of view had stayed either first-person (which I think would be stronger for this book) or third-person, it would have been easier to read.
Those are really my only two reasons for not giving it 5 stars but I definitely enjoyed this book and now can't wait for the second to be released.
December 8, 2013
I received this book through a goodreads giveaway and let me just say this is the best book I've read in a long time. People who are fans of The Ascendance Trilogy and the Throne of Glass series will thoroughly enjoy this book. The characters are well created and established with personalities that are uniquely theirs. The mix of personality types is well balanced making you love all of them, especially Mac. I think he is just hilarious. And Rhys is just, well, quiet, brooding, dark, handsome...perfect storybook guy to have a book crush on.
I also really enjoyed how the author wrote in such a way as to only reveal a little bit at a time keeping me constantly wanting to just keep reading to find out more about this magical world she has created. It's like the minute you think you might know what could happen she creates a scenario that just completely changes how you see things (ie: Hemlock vs Gabriel and which personality will come through in the end). This is a book I just had to keep turning the pages on.
The only bad thing I can say about this book is the way it ended. It leaves you in such suspense as to what is going to happen that you want to scream that the next one isn't out yet and I have no idea when it's coming out other than it'll be out in 2014 sometime.
I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.
I also really enjoyed how the author wrote in such a way as to only reveal a little bit at a time keeping me constantly wanting to just keep reading to find out more about this magical world she has created. It's like the minute you think you might know what could happen she creates a scenario that just completely changes how you see things (ie: Hemlock vs Gabriel and which personality will come through in the end). This is a book I just had to keep turning the pages on.
The only bad thing I can say about this book is the way it ended. It leaves you in such suspense as to what is going to happen that you want to scream that the next one isn't out yet and I have no idea when it's coming out other than it'll be out in 2014 sometime.
I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.
February 4, 2014
I completely enjoyed this book! I really liked the multiple perspectives and how each character related to the paranormal world in a different way. I think the plot in this book was so unique and enticing; I will DEFINITELY read future books in the series!
The only reason I didn't give this book a 5-star rating was purely my own craziness. I was very annoyed during the first part of the book between the shift from first person perspective for a couple of the characters to third person perspective for another character. Even though by the end of the book I completely understood and appreciate the reason to do that, in the beginning of the story before I knew more I just found it frustrating. I am just so glad I kept reading through the frustration because it was completely worth it in the end.
All in all, I definitely think this book is worth a read!!
The only reason I didn't give this book a 5-star rating was purely my own craziness. I was very annoyed during the first part of the book between the shift from first person perspective for a couple of the characters to third person perspective for another character. Even though by the end of the book I completely understood and appreciate the reason to do that, in the beginning of the story before I knew more I just found it frustrating. I am just so glad I kept reading through the frustration because it was completely worth it in the end.
All in all, I definitely think this book is worth a read!!
March 17, 2014
What an interesting world this book creates! For about half the book, I didn't know what I was dealing with: is this superheroes, or magicians, or what? Thankfully in the second half of the book we did get (some of the) answers, and it was worth the build-up. I love that this world feels alien, and unpredictable, and I'm not sure what the next stage of the story is going to be... So definitely worth reading, although it ends on a rather painful cliffhanger. Which wouldn't be an issue except that the next book doesn't seem to be available yet. Sigh. I guess I'll just have to wait for it, then...
September 30, 2013
This is a great story with tons of details, and lots of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
I liked all of the characters equally, and enjoyed how diverse they were. There was so much detail woven into each chapter that I found myself re-reading a few passages to make sure I had everything down.
The kids in this book were a delight and I encourage all YA Fantasy/Adventure lovers to give The Thief a chance.
I give The Thief 5 out of 5 stars.
I liked all of the characters equally, and enjoyed how diverse they were. There was so much detail woven into each chapter that I found myself re-reading a few passages to make sure I had everything down.
The kids in this book were a delight and I encourage all YA Fantasy/Adventure lovers to give The Thief a chance.
I give The Thief 5 out of 5 stars.
May 1, 2016
The story has some very good aspects about it. It takes place in a town where to girls, not related, come to go to school and get away from what was going on before they arrived there. The story has lots of magic and mystery. But I didn't like that there were so many points of view. It made this drag on longer seeing what everyone was going through in one moment.Other then that I did like the story as a whole.
January 15, 2014
I liked all of the characters equally, and enjoyed how diverse they were. There was so much detail woven into each chapter that I found myself re-reading a few passages to make sure I had everything down.
The kids in this book were a delight and I encourage all YA Fantasy/Adventure lovers to give The Thief a chance.
The kids in this book were a delight and I encourage all YA Fantasy/Adventure lovers to give The Thief a chance.
December 9, 2013
God damn it, the fact that book two isn't even out yet pisses me off greatly. I need it! Bad.
I loved this book, I enjoyed it so much! You know it's a good book when you can't even guess what's going to happen or what, exactly, the students are. Hell, even having three main characters just added to the total awesomeness instead of detracting from the story.
BRILLIANT.
I loved this book, I enjoyed it so much! You know it's a good book when you can't even guess what's going to happen or what, exactly, the students are. Hell, even having three main characters just added to the total awesomeness instead of detracting from the story.
BRILLIANT.
September 8, 2016
I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
This was an enjoyable YA novel with an interesting and unique story line. Kept me guessing and engaged. Looking forward to the release of the second book in the series.
This was an enjoyable YA novel with an interesting and unique story line. Kept me guessing and engaged. Looking forward to the release of the second book in the series.
July 24, 2013
Absolutely wonderful first novel.
I was sucked into the story immediately. I can't wait for the next books in the series to see where Crabtree takes us and the characters on this adventure.
I was sucked into the story immediately. I can't wait for the next books in the series to see where Crabtree takes us and the characters on this adventure.
July 13, 2013
LOved it! i love Rhys, i love Mac, i never liked Kei
January 4, 2015
4.5 stars
DAMN CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!! Grrrrrr!
A year wait for next book...hope i survive waiting...
DAMN CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!! Grrrrrr!
A year wait for next book...hope i survive waiting...
December 12, 2013
So to get this out of the way... I loved this book, so that's that.
I will post a proper review soon. I hope book two comes out in the earlier part of 2014:)
I will post a proper review soon. I hope book two comes out in the earlier part of 2014:)
July 18, 2014
This book was amazing I simply could not put it down. The characters were so interesting the story was well written and well you should read it for yourself it was great
January 18, 2016
GOOD READS GIVEAWAY
Very interesting. I am excited for the next book.
Very interesting. I am excited for the next book.
August 6, 2016
It is a great story, but GET. AN. EDITOR. So much incorrect grammar!
August 30, 2017
Интересна книга за ученици, претежаващи необичайни способности. Особено ми хареса, че повествованието се води от името на различни герои. Отворен финал.
July 18, 2021
so disappointed that the series was never finished.
June 29, 2015
This book is AMAZING!
It is so rare to find lead caracters that are mixed race, and for the book not to about segregation.
The plot is so interesting and exciting, I'm impatient for the 2nd book to come out!!!!
(Sorry if my grammar is bad, I don't speak fluent English >.<' but I recommend this book to any one who likes a good fantasy book is interesting caracters, and plot!)
It is so rare to find lead caracters that are mixed race, and for the book not to about segregation.
The plot is so interesting and exciting, I'm impatient for the 2nd book to come out!!!!
(Sorry if my grammar is bad, I don't speak fluent English >.<' but I recommend this book to any one who likes a good fantasy book is interesting caracters, and plot!)
September 25, 2014
3.5 stars. Really interesting and good characters. But there was quite a lot to get your head around so it got a little confusing in places and because of the multiple points of view, sometimes, it felt a bit too choppy.
Full review to come
Full review to come
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews