Rules for Thieves

Rules for Thieves #1

by Alexandra Ott

After twelve-year-old orphan Alli Rosco is cursed with a deadly spell, she must join the legendary Thieves Guild in order to try and save herself in this high-stakes debut.

Twelve-year-old Alli Rosco is smart, resourceful, and totally incapable of keeping her mouth shut. Some of these traits have served her well during her nine years in Azeland’s orphanage, and others have proved more troublesome…but now that she’s escaped to try her luck on the streets, she has bigger problems than extra chores to contend with. Surviving would be hard enough, but after a run-in with one of the city’s Protectors, she’s marked by a curse that’s slowly working its way to her heart. There is a cure, but the cost is astronomical—and seems well out of her reach.

Enter Beck, a boy with a gift for theft and a touch of magic, who seems almost too good to be true. He tells Alli that the legendary Thieves Guild, long thought to be a myth, is real. Even better, Beck is a member and thinks she could be, too. All she has to do is pass the trial that the King of Thieves will assign to her. Join the Guild, collect her yearly reward and buy a cure. Plus, Alli hopes the Guild will be the home—the family—that Alli has always wanted. But when their trial goes wrong, innocent lives are put in danger, and Alli has to decide how much she can sacrifice in order to survive.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult, Magic

320 pages

First published June 6, 2017

About the author

Alexandra Ott writes fiction for young readers, including the Rules for Thieves series and the Seekers of the Wild Realm series. She graduated from the University of Tulsa and is now a freelance editor. In her spare time, she eats a lot of chocolate and reads just about everything. She currently lives in Oklahoma with her tiny canine overlord.

Visit her online at www.alexandraott.com.
Twitter: @Alexandra_Ott
Instagram: @alexottbooks

Reviews

[Emily Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved RULES FOR THIEVES. It's clever, original, fast-paced, and brimming with shades of gray. Ott's writing is beautiful and she's created a heroine in Alli Rosco who is sharp-tongued, complex, and endearing. An easy five stars--make sure to pick this one up.

[McCall Hoyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this book. Alli Rosco, the twelve-year-old protagonist, is a girl I can root for and who's voice and sense of humor I love. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful. I already can't wait for more books by this author.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this book! It kept me captivated from beginning to end. I love Alli Rosco's sense of humor and sarcastic wit. At times I was laughing out loud. Beck's character was mysterious yet endearing. Can't wait to read book two!

[✨Gayatri ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the only book my sister would read without me saying" READ THIS BOOK ITS AMAZING!"

P.S my sister loved it

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book. I found myself reading it when I was eating and walking around the house. The characters, especially Alli, are spunky and likeable, and I love the tension of the heist scenes. Also, a cool use of magic in a magical yet familiar world. No spoilers, but I thought the ending was managed well, and I'm looking forward to the next installment!

[Joanne O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to believe this is a first novel! From the first page, the reader has the feeling of being in the hands of an expert storyteller. The world that Alli and Beck live in is so endlessly fascinating, with magic and saints and ancient guilds- it's a world you'll never tire of spending time in. Alli and Beck are likable and brave, and their adventures are heart-stopping. But this story has a lot of heart, too. Ott expertly balances the fast-paced plot and wonderful character development- I can't imagine a kid who wouldn't love this book (but it's great for adults, too!).

[Brandy Painter · Rating 3 out of 5]

For kids who can't get enough of adventure fantasies, Rules for Thieves is a fun one to have on hand. There is a Thieves Guild, a murder, intrigue, mysterious identities, a strong fierce heroine, and a sneaky accomplice. From a personal perspective, I felt the whole thing could have been more layered and fleshed out. The world-building is scant and the characterization is fairly basic. I was also not enamored of that end. I prefer books that have more closure (even when they are getting a sequel).

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take two appealing and gutsy twelve year old street urchins, poison the girl with magic inflicted by one of the Protectors-guards who have pretty ruthless powers of enforcement, and have healing cost more than she'll imagine making in her lifetime. That's Alli Rosco and her sarcastic benefactor, Beck. He's on the cusp of joining the thieves guild he's grown up in and when he offers her a chance to sign on and pass the challenge leading to membership and get the money needed to get healed, she jumps at it.
Following the thrill-a-minute trip the two must take to pass their test for guild membership is quite the enjoyable ride. This is a satisfying read, not only for juvenile lovers of fantasy, but for anyone liking a well crafted entry in the genre.

[Josh Newhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic debut! It could be the first in a series but unlike many books similar it also reads as a complete book! And I was so sure of my theory about one of the major plot points but was entirely wrong which is rare! My students will enjoy this as much as I did!

[Diane Magras · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced adventure woven with mysteries with a tough girl protagonist who never loses her nerve (expect a bit inside). A great story with a powerful ending. My 10-year-old son has read it twice and both he and I highly recommend it.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ott crafts a wonderful fantasy adventure in this great debut. I was totally drawn into this this face-paced action/adventure from the start. Readers will love brave (and reckless) Ali and kind and skilled Beck. Wonderful world building and a bit of magic round out this excellent book.

[Evie ~Running away to Europe~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
This book was not what I expected and I loved it for that. It had twists that (though sometimes predictable) kept the story fast-paced and enjoyable. Alli is a great protagonist, I love her sarcastic humor. And Beck.....I really love Beck. He's such a rebel yet is also kind and gentle! Ps. The end of the book made me NEED the second!!

**

OVERVIEW
"After twelve-year-old orphan Alli Rosco is cursed with a deadly spell, she must join the legendary Thieves Guild in order to try and save herself in this high-stakes debut.

Twelve-year-old Alli Rosco is smart, resourceful, and totally incapable of keeping her mouth shut. Some of these traits have served her well during her nine years in Azeland’s orphanage, and others have proved more troublesome…but now that she’s escaped to try her luck on the streets, she has bigger problems than extra chores to contend with. Surviving would be hard enough, but after a run-in with one of the city’s Protectors, she’s marked by a curse that’s slowly working its way to her heart. There is a cure, but the cost is astronomical—and seems well out of her reach.

Enter Beck, a boy with a gift for theft and a touch of magic, who seems almost too good to be true. He tells Alli that the legendary Thieves Guild, long thought to be a myth, is real. Even better, Beck is a member and thinks she could be, too. All she has to do is pass the trial that the King of Thieves will assign to her. Join the Guild, collect her yearly reward and buy a cure. Plus, Alli hopes the Guild will be the home—the family—that Alli has always wanted. But when their trial goes wrong, innocent lives are put in danger, and Alli has to decide how much she can sacrifice in order to survive."

POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Like I said before, Beck is very kind (probably one of the most/only kind people at the Guild). Alli finds friends at the Guild and they all have fun together.

SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Several mentions of saint in charge of certain things (nature, death, luck etc). Magic exists.

VIOLENCE
A woman dies (semi-detailed). Another girl is injured (semi-detailed). Beck threatens someone with a knife. Alli and Beck steal things (food, money etc). Alli gets hit by a magic spell that will make her die. Pain, death, blood and injures described.

SEXUAL CONTENT
Minor attraction between a boy and girl. At a ball a girl clearly likes Beck.

LANGUAGE
Clean. 'God' is misused a few times.

DRUGS/ALCOHOL
N/A

OTHER NOTES
LOVED THIS BOOK. Would definitely recommend and am so excited to read the second. This author is truly gifted!

**

*insert fangirl squealing* The ending though!!

If I forgot anything, plz let me know in the comments!

[T.J. Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting, fast-paced, and suspenseful; with fun, interesting, and likable characters.

Review to come...

[Amanda Hosch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alli Rosco, 12-years-old, is smart, resourceful, and funny, but can't keep her opinions to herself. She's lived for nine years at the orphanage where her abilities have served her well, despite getting into trouble all the time. When she makes her escape over the high wall and meets a member of the fabled Thieves Guild, she realizes she's no match for the outside world on her own. However, with a little guidance from a Thief, she might just finally find a place to call home. That is, if she can truly accept the rules for thieves.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, adventurous, fast-paced new fantasy series! I loved that Alli is a strong, resourceful, outspoken, brave, and spunky main character. Extremely well-crafted by debut novelist Ott. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man I really don't like to talk poorly of a book, but this was just a little thin for me. 2.75

[Chantele Sedgwick]

This was a fun book with an interesting premise and world.

[Gareth Wronski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazingly well-written book full of suspense, action, and very effective humour. Alli is a totally endearing main character and her journey is thrilling and emotional. An easy recommendation!

[Cindy S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful fantasy tale, about a little girl who takes her life into her own hands. Good read.

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is to be a series for this book...SIGN. ME. UP!!!!! I would recommend this book to action fans and mystery fans.

[Gaoly]

100 % an awesome book! Great story line and moments that made my heart ache. Can't wait for the release of book 2!!!!!!

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

I loved this book. It's a blend of dashing thievery and magic. Fresh and creative. Just my kind of book.

[Shari Heinrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Azeland, Alli Roscoe plots her escape from the orphanage. Once she’s free, the enormity of her life change hits her—she’s got nowhere to sleep, she’s got the clothes she’s wearing, and the shoes that mark her has out of place in any nice shop.

Based on the book’s cover, and Ott’s descriptions, I pictured an arid climate and a marketplace-driven, non-industrialized society. Protectors keep law with brute force and magic. She must evade them because she’s a runaway, but that’s harder because a Protector hits her with a curse.

What’s a twelve-year-old on her own to do, when she can’t legally work until thirteen? Lift food. That sets the dominoes falling, tangling her multiple times with the Protectors and with Beck, the boy she desperately wants to believe. How can she, though, after her survival lessons at the orphanage? Ott slowly feeds us those stories, about both the characters, so Alli can’t believe his friendship even when hope wants her to. He has so many rules. She thinks,

“I add one more to the list: Don’t think about who the marks are. Looking at what they carry, not who they are, makes it easier to ignore the lurch in my stomach that might, maybe, be guilt.

"That should be a rule too: There’s no place for guilt in thieving.” (p. 48)

Ott keeps the pacing fast, whisking Alli and Beck through their friendship with one lesson in thieving, one escape after another, and the eventual reveal about the Guild and all it can offer her if she joins and accepts those hard rules Beck shares. At the Guild, Ott expands the cast of characters. It became harder for me to keep track of who was who as she unveiled first or last names, and quick snippets about the kids. The Guild’s location marks a huge contrast to Azeland, adding snow and a game that’ll make you worry for Alli.

Through all of this, she’s learning more about being a thief and deepening her friendship with Beck. Stakes do rise, and it’s deliciously fun seeing the lengths Alli goes for her trial, needing disguises, and what she’ll do for friendship even if it breaks a Guild rule or two. I loved the flying creature Ott introduces as a mode of transportation, the giant thilastri.

The story fell shy, when I couldn’t suspend my disbelief at the final stage of the trial. Past the time Alli figures something out, I was asking myself why anyone had let the trial get to that point. It’s still a set of exciting scenes, but my logical side called it a hole in the storytelling.

Alli’s an engaging character, and you can follow her adventures in book two, The Shadow Thieves. The paperback edition of Rules for Thieves contains a teaser chapter for that second novel.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is Beck, and I hope I haven't made a mistake by bringing Alli into the Thieves Guild. I knew she wouldn't survive on the streets, and then I saw the black lines spreading up her arm. She was poisoned by magic and will die within a week. Outsiders are rarely allowed into the guild, so some thieves aren't happy about her arrival. I'm nervous and excited to pass my Trial, but it will allow me to become a permanent member of the Thieves Guild. Alli has received permission to take her Trial too, and she'll be able to get medical help if she passes. The good news is we'll be working together on our Trials. The bad news is we've been given the most difficult mission ever, and we're on our own once we leave the guild. Death is also a huge possibility.

Alli is the main character and has a very abrasive personality. She escaped from an orphanage and doesn't know much about her biological parents. While her family isn't a big issue, the last page in the book reveals a secret that will probably impact the sequel. Alli is sarcastic and has a very hard time holding her tongue, and that's a fatal flaw for a thief. Beck is the character with morals and seems a bit out of place in the guild. He cares for others. The author's use of magic is interesting, since it doesn't play a major factor in most of the plot. As I reflect, it most remember it being used by healers to help the sick and injured, and as a weapon by guards and protectors. Alli's injury adds a time factor to the story, and the black lines in her arm act as the clock. The poison moves from her hand toward her heart and acts as a countdown to death. The main part of the book that bugs me is Alli's Trial. I know it's the author's choice, but it seems strange for an unprepared character to undertake a dangerous mission. On the other hand, the thieves didn't like outsiders and didn't expect her to succeed. Overall, the book is entertaining, and I've already gotten the sequel from my local library. Give it a shot.

[JustAButterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 100 pages were a little eh, but after that it was fairly fast-paced. Overall, the book was enjoyable, but the characters and the world could use more development--despite all the names and features, the setting didn't feel very unique or alive. The only notable idea here were the thilastris- talking feathery horse-type things that can drive their own carriages, basically.
I do like that Alli doesn't end up joining the guild, but I'm curious what's going to happen in the sequel; Alli clearly does have more secrets, and she rejected Beck's offer to come with him, so she has to go back to the streets or go find her brother. The Guild doesn't have any real conflicts, and we don't know if the rulers of the kingdoms know too much about the Guild, either. Is Alli going to find Beck again or go after her brother? I'm not sure where else the plot could go, since there weren't too many groups introduced in this book, besides the nobles, the orphanage people, and the Guild, as well as a few mentions of a church.

Admittedly, I'm not very invested in the story, so I probably won't read the sequel, but hopefully the second book will fix some of this one's problems.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's another adoption day at the orphanage, and since Allie has been unsuccessfully adopted out twice, she doesn't even want to meet a family. Instead she creates a distraction, climbs a tree, and heads out and over the orphanage walls. Unfortunately, the Protectors are after her almost immediately. She is hit by one of their spells, but manages to escape. As she tries to maneuver through Azeland on her own, she is helped out of a jam by Beck, a thief her age on his own. Beck starts to teach her the basics of living on the streets, but all this changes when he sees the results of the spell she has been hit with. It is a curse that marks you and slowly makes it's way towards a person's heart. Once there, death is certain. Allie has maybe 10 days to get cured. With no other choices, Beck tells her the truth about who he is and the two of them set out on the most desperate adventure of their lives. An exciting start to a new series. Recommended for grades 4 & up.

[Cai · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover art is gorgeous and so I gave it a try.

It was mostly a quick read and I found it didn't hold my curiosity past the first few chapters. The fact that there was magic in this world, as well as their own brand of creatures, came out of nowhere to me given how the events in the orphanage did not allude to such, until that first scene with a protector. I thought it was gonna be those heist stories - an ACTUAL HEIST.

I didn't like Alli's character except at the end when she chose to stay and help. Beck was tolerable. My favorite scene was the training area but that was cut short. Everything seemed rushed and I dreaded it was going to have a sequel.

And it does. *sigh*

[WKPL Children's/YA Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Lori raced through this story of a young orphan girl who gets caught up in a world of thieving, believing she has finally found a "family" she can belong to. She is a strong personality who meets her match in the young man who "saves" her. This is a slight fantasy, with a lot of action and a bit of suspense. This is the first of 2 stories and the sequel is currently on hold for me to read! I am REALLY looking forward to seeing where Alli and Beck end up!

This book is for upper middle grade readers and beyond, due to the nature of some of the fight scenes.

[Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, I truly recommend it I finished it within the first hour. It was amazing and I was glued to the book waiting for answers the whole time I practically died waiting for the library to open the next day to get the sequel and then when I got the sequel I read all through class. Btw after I finished my math. This is a must read it is was a exciting one too though.

[My · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character, Alli, reminded me of someone I know in real life who's quite overbearing and speaks her mind regardless of how the other party might feel afterwards. I don't like her sometimes, but other times she's okay. I guess that just leaves room for character development in the sequel?