The Shadow Thieves

Rules for Thieves #2

by Alexandra Ott

Alli must risk everything to save her new family from a rogue organization that is threatening the Thieves Guild’s existence—and the lives of all its members—in this high-stakes sequel to Rules for Thieves .

Alli Rosco, former orphan and thief, is free after her disastrous Thieves Guild trial, which left an innocent woman dead while Alli’s partner-in-crime, Beck, fled.

Now Alli is getting more than just a fresh her long-lost brother, Ronan, has come forward to claim responsibility for her and let her live with him on a trial basis. They try to mend the rift that started when Alli was dropped off at the orphanage while Ronan became a lawyer in Ruhia. But as determined as she is to make things work, Alli can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

To make matters worse, Alli finds a surprise guest on her doorstep one Beck.

He’s on the run and brings news of the Shadow Guild, a rogue organization that is trying to overthrow the current king of the Thieves Guild. Their friends are in real danger. And Beck needs Alli’s help one more time to bring the Shadows down.

Once again, Alli is forced to make a hard save her friends, or lose her last chance to have a true family.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 5, 2018

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

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved this book so much! First of all, Alexandra Ott is an amazing world builder. You feel totally immersed from page one onwards. Her characters, especially Alli, Beck, and Ronan, are compelling and you are desperate for them to not only succeed and thrive! I loved the brother and sister dynamic between Alli and Ronan - it felt very true.

The plot is the perfect blend of byzantine shenanigans and thrills galore, culminating in a satisfying ending. Bravo!

[✨Gayatri ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yaay! Very nice book. I really liked how it ended. Though i wish there had been more between Beck and Alli. 😢

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sequel to Rules for Thieves, Alli is out of prison and has gone to live with her new found brother Ronan. She is trying to make things works, but is unsure if her brother and his girlfriend really want her in their lives. To complicate matters, Beck shows up on her doorstep, telling her that her brother's life is in danger. There is a Shadow Guild trying to overthrow the king of the Thieves Guild and they've been recruiting Beck. Mead is already playing a double agent, and he suggests that Beck does too. Beck is fiercely loyal to the king, but agrees to go under cover, and he needs Alli's help. After Beck has saved her life, does she have any choice but to help him? And how can she protect both Beck and her brother from this dangerous new gang of thieves? The high stakes drama of this well plotted fantasy world will draw readers in and keep them wanting more. I hope this is not the end of Alli & Beck's story. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up. Must read Rules for Thieves first.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

[Evie ~Running away to Europe~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3

Okay....let's talk characters...

Alli: Sarcastic and witty, Alli is a wonderful protagonist with a good heart and tough decisions. Her growth throughout the book is phenomenal and I really enjoyed her humour.

Beck: Beck is the perfect mix of a thief and a caring person. He certainly has his faults, but in the end is a good guy. Loved his character!

Ronan: Alli's older brother is the nicest person. There were several times when I let out a contented sigh when I read about his and All's relationship. It's so sweet!!

Mari: I really liked this character because she wasn't afraid of a fight and could read between the lines really well. Also she was understanding and willing to help.


**

OVERVIEW
"Alli must risk everything to save her new family from a rogue organization that is threatening the Thieves Guild’s existence—and the lives of all its members—in this high-stakes sequel to Rules for Thieves.

Alli Rosco, former orphan and thief, is free after her disastrous Thieves Guild trial, which left an innocent woman dead while Alli’s partner-in-crime, Beck, fled.

Now Alli is getting more than just a fresh start: her long-lost brother, Ronan, has come forward to claim responsibility for her and let her live with him on a trial basis. They try to mend the rift that started when Alli was dropped off at the orphanage while Ronan became a lawyer in Ruhia. But as determined as she is to make things work, Alli can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

To make matters worse, Alli finds a surprise guest on her doorstep one night: Beck.

He’s on the run and brings news of the Shadow Guild, a rogue organization that is trying to overthrow the current king of the Thieves Guild. Their friends are in real danger. And Beck needs Alli’s help one more time to bring the Shadows down.

Once again, Alli is forced to make a hard choice: save her friends, or lose her last chance to have a true family."

POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Like mentioned above, Ronan is super sweet and a really caring other brother which is good for Alli. Alli tries to save her family and friends.

SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Mentions of prayers to different saints. God's name is used in vain several times.

VIOLENCE
There was certainly more violence than the last book, but it wasn't too descriptive and didn't bother me. Mentions of pain and death. A girl is stabbed in the side. Mentions of a "hit list". Someone is hanged. A person is stabbed and killed. Several other people die.

SEXUAL CONTENT
Clean Alli appears to be attracted to Beck. Ronan and Mari are dating (mentions of kissing).

LANGUAGE
Mentions of swearing (nothing said).

DRUGS/ALCOHOL
N/A

OTHER NOTES
Alli lies and several people steal. One character does things only for himself even if others get hurt in the process.

**

Highly recommend!

**If I forgot to mention anything plz let me know in the comments.**

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is Alli, and I never expected to work with the Thieves Guild again. I've come to enjoy living with my brother Ronan after I was released from prison. However, Beck showed up at the door and shared some disturbing news. Some members of the guild are plotting to overthrow its king, and they've killed his most trusted man. Beck says they have a list of names of people they plan to murder, and the second name belongs to my brother! Why would anyone want to hurt an apprentice at a law firm? I hate sneaking around and lying to Ronan, but I've got to keep him safe. Beck and I need to retrieve a magical coin for the king, and I need to stop whoever is threatening my family.

This book included more magic than the previous one. Beck used his healing powers, magic was bought and sold in a secret market, and Alli used a mirror to help resolve her problems. Alli always wanted to make the correct decisions, but circumstances got in the way. Family life was new to her, since she was separated from her brother at the age of three. She misinterpreted her brother's intentions, as he displayed concern for her safety and future. Her assumption that he wanted to get rid of her clouded some of her choices. The family dynamics were complicated by Ronan's girlfriend living in the apartment next door. She was a protector, a law enforcement officer in this culture. Alli was reluctant to be honest, since a protector would probably throw Beck and her in jail for their association with thieves. However, Alli's assumption again led to questionable judgments. The mystery of the Shadow added some intrigue, as it was unclear if characters were friends or enemies. Some previous characters had switched sides. Overall, I think I felt more of a connection reading book one, but I still enjoyed this one.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect sequel to the wonderful Rules for Thieves. Alli is still tough and sarcastic. Beck's still dragging her into trouble. And the world of thieves now includes even more danger and a nice dose of intrigue. Ott takes the best parts of her original fantasy world and mixes in some family dynamics and some great moral questions for Allie to ponder as she tries to sort out if who she was is still who she is and if she can remain loyal to everyone she loves - even when they're on opposite sides of the law.

Fun characters, a thrilling plot, and fantastic world building make this a must for young readers.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. The main character allie just can't escape trouble. She's in for an adventure this time! Kerrick the KING of the thieves guild is under threat from the shadows, who also plan to crush allies happiness. There's a cross, then a double cross. It was hard to finish the last 40 pages while gasping at all of the intrigue! Excellent work <3

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in the series, Rules for Thieves, was so good. As soon as I finished it, I knew I had to get my hands on the second. The Shadow Thieves did not disappoint! The world building in this story is amazing. Alexandra Ott has some serious writing skills. I can't wait for the 3rd in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read! The world building is excellent, the stakes are high, and Alli is her usual lovable sarcastic self. I especially enjoyed watching her grow as a character and find her place. Very strong second installment - highly recommended for fans of high action fantasy adventures.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing companion to Rules for Thieves. The characters backgrounds are delved into more deeply; and relationships were strengthened. I loved how the ending was concluded; however it still left me wanting more.

[McCall Hoyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved RULES FOR THIEVES and absolutely cannot wait to read THE SHADOW THIEVES. This book will definitely be added to my classroom library when it releases on 6/5.

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable, well written, great characters, great plot, plausible but still magical. A fun read!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this one quite as much as the first book, but it was good. Would still like to know more about Ronan.

[addison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a really cool plot line. It’s not my favorite book today but when I read it it was.

[Katie Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic culmination of a great series!

Alli was such a fun character to follow. She had witty dialogue and great interactions with the other characters. The secondary characters were well developed and had interesting backstories. Overall this was a great conclusion to an exciting adventure!

[T.J. Burns]

I received a copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.