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Ambrosia Royals #1
The Prince and the Thief
Enter the magical world of Ambrosia with the first book in a new duology about a troubled prince who hires a thief with magical powers to safeguard his secret.
A jewel thief with magical powers…
Eighteen-year-old Will is a jewel thief with only one goal in life — to be rich. That's why when he spots Aidan, the second prince of Ambrosia saving a peasant girl from royal guards, he steals the prince's ruby bracelet. A few days later, Aidan stumbles into Will during a robbery, and the two strike a bargain.
Meets a prince with a secret…
Aidan is a prince torn between duty and desire. In a world where same-sex relationships are forbidden in the royal family, he is attracted to men. To make matters worse, his uncle is in possession of love letters that Aidan exchanged with his old lover. In a desperate attempt to retrieve the incriminating letters, Aidan hires Will.
A forbidden love that transcends time…
The unlikely partnership blossoms into something more but political tensions threaten to separate the lovers. Will’s loyalty lies with the rebels who want to overthrow the king, and Aidan is honor-bound to protect his family. Will they end up together or be torn apart by the hands of fate?
A jewel thief with magical powers…
Eighteen-year-old Will is a jewel thief with only one goal in life — to be rich. That's why when he spots Aidan, the second prince of Ambrosia saving a peasant girl from royal guards, he steals the prince's ruby bracelet. A few days later, Aidan stumbles into Will during a robbery, and the two strike a bargain.
Meets a prince with a secret…
Aidan is a prince torn between duty and desire. In a world where same-sex relationships are forbidden in the royal family, he is attracted to men. To make matters worse, his uncle is in possession of love letters that Aidan exchanged with his old lover. In a desperate attempt to retrieve the incriminating letters, Aidan hires Will.
A forbidden love that transcends time…
The unlikely partnership blossoms into something more but political tensions threaten to separate the lovers. Will’s loyalty lies with the rebels who want to overthrow the king, and Aidan is honor-bound to protect his family. Will they end up together or be torn apart by the hands of fate?
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2021
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419 people want to read
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February 12, 2024
I’ve recently been going through all of the books hidden in the deep, dark corners of my Kindle, and while that sounds daunting, it’s actually nice because every now and then I’ll find a hidden gem like this one! Just don’t look at the rating I gave this, please. Okay look, I don’t really like getting into the mechanics of how I rate things because... the inner machinations of my mind are an enigma! Also, let's be real, the whole thing is so arbitrary anyway. I promise this is one of the good three-star books! Man, none of this would be a problem if this site had those sexy, Letterboxd half-stars, but it's whatever. I liked this overall. While it’s a little generic and too “trope heavy,” (you pretty much get all you need from the title), I kind of guessed it would be like that before I started, so it didn't bother me too much. It helps because this one had all the tropes that I’m into. Turns out bad things are good when they're the bad things that I like! And can I just say that this had a banger of an opening chapter? Because I need to say it: This book had a banger opening chapter! Will, an amoral thief decides to do a good deed (for once in his life) but a pesky, noble prince do-gooder, named Aidan, beats him to the punch so he cuts his losses by stealing his jewelry and calls it a day. It’s funny, exciting, and more importantly, it introduces all the most important elements of the story in quick succession. Very efficient. I think my love for this kind of dynamic started early with this game called Dragon Age: Origins where the main character meets an assassin hired to kill them, and after defeating him, he can join the group and can eventually be romanced. Sure, it’s not the most original premise, but the tension that comes already built-in with a morally upright stick-in-the-mud and a wise-cracking jerk is always a treat to read!
Now to the bad bits, unfortunately. I think this book started to lose a lot of its steam by the middle part, which is saying something considering how short it was. Plot got in the way of good character writing, and when said plot is so paper-thin (because this is a book! ...is that a good joke?), things can get a bit yawn and sometimes even *snore* mimimimimimimi, if I'm honest. Here's the thing, when you have a story that’s so heavily reliant on common tropes, your story’s saving grace then lies in its characters and how they interact. This book’s greatest strength shows when Aidan and Will were bickering and working through the challenges presented to them together, so it’s incredibly baffling to me that so much of this book seemed hellbent on keeping them apart. They’d meet, chemistry crackling and all that, and then Aidan would suddenly tell him to steal something or whatever and Will would just go do that! Barely a couple chapters together and they're already going their separate ways? Um, that’s not how these things are supposed to go, right? The narrative should have be written so that the two would at least be in each other’s company for most of the story. And considering this is, you know, a romance, you’d think the characters would end up getting to know each other, at least a little. They were barely co-workers before their inner-monologues were screaming "I love you!" The thing is, if a story is only as good as its premise, and does nothing all that new or groundbreaking, then you could probably just read the synopsis and guess every little plot-point in this book without breaking a sweat. In fact, it’s so basic, that your opinion of the book is literally as good as mine! Who knows, maybe I’m telling on myself and I also based this whole review off the blurb! Gasp! Just kidding, I read this and, like I said, I enjoyed it. It even held my attention enough that I’ll probably go read the second one. I'm totally not just saying that because this ended on an annoying cliff-hanger.
Is this a lasting treasure / Or just a moment's pleasure? / Can I believe the magic of your sighs? / Will you still love me tomorrow? (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – The Shirelles)
Now to the bad bits, unfortunately. I think this book started to lose a lot of its steam by the middle part, which is saying something considering how short it was. Plot got in the way of good character writing, and when said plot is so paper-thin (because this is a book! ...is that a good joke?), things can get a bit yawn and sometimes even *snore* mimimimimimimi, if I'm honest. Here's the thing, when you have a story that’s so heavily reliant on common tropes, your story’s saving grace then lies in its characters and how they interact. This book’s greatest strength shows when Aidan and Will were bickering and working through the challenges presented to them together, so it’s incredibly baffling to me that so much of this book seemed hellbent on keeping them apart. They’d meet, chemistry crackling and all that, and then Aidan would suddenly tell him to steal something or whatever and Will would just go do that! Barely a couple chapters together and they're already going their separate ways? Um, that’s not how these things are supposed to go, right? The narrative should have be written so that the two would at least be in each other’s company for most of the story. And considering this is, you know, a romance, you’d think the characters would end up getting to know each other, at least a little. They were barely co-workers before their inner-monologues were screaming "I love you!" The thing is, if a story is only as good as its premise, and does nothing all that new or groundbreaking, then you could probably just read the synopsis and guess every little plot-point in this book without breaking a sweat. In fact, it’s so basic, that your opinion of the book is literally as good as mine! Who knows, maybe I’m telling on myself and I also based this whole review off the blurb! Gasp! Just kidding, I read this and, like I said, I enjoyed it. It even held my attention enough that I’ll probably go read the second one. I'm totally not just saying that because this ended on an annoying cliff-hanger.
Is this a lasting treasure / Or just a moment's pleasure? / Can I believe the magic of your sighs? / Will you still love me tomorrow? (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – The Shirelles)
January 13, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Prince and the Thief was an okay book. I'll admit that the pacing seemed a bit off throughout it and the whole mystery prince thing was pretty predictable to me. As for the little cliffhanger at the end, well - it was okay. Nothing super spectacular happened in this book but it was pretty easy to devour.
In it, you will meet Will and Aiden. They were pretty likable but that's a bit it. When they were together, it was kind of cute and such. Yet, when they were apart I didn't really seem to care what was happening to them. I think if they had more growth throughout the book, I probably would've liked them a lot more but I will accept the bits and pieces I got.
Other than that, I feel confused on some parts that were missing in this book so I'm hoping that the second one will dive more into them. Or just mention it for a while. Either way, I would probably dive into book two whenever it is available.
The Prince and the Thief was an okay book. I'll admit that the pacing seemed a bit off throughout it and the whole mystery prince thing was pretty predictable to me. As for the little cliffhanger at the end, well - it was okay. Nothing super spectacular happened in this book but it was pretty easy to devour.
In it, you will meet Will and Aiden. They were pretty likable but that's a bit it. When they were together, it was kind of cute and such. Yet, when they were apart I didn't really seem to care what was happening to them. I think if they had more growth throughout the book, I probably would've liked them a lot more but I will accept the bits and pieces I got.
Other than that, I feel confused on some parts that were missing in this book so I'm hoping that the second one will dive more into them. Or just mention it for a while. Either way, I would probably dive into book two whenever it is available.
December 13, 2020
1.5* This book had potential but fell short. It's a quick, easy read but suffers trope-overload.
Will is an orphan who lives with his aunt, uncle and cousins. He's a talented thief with a talent for water magic - an unheard of ability outside of aristocratic circles. Interrupting a beat-down by the city guard, Will meets Aidan, second son of King Adam Garius. Betrothed to a neighbouring princess, Aidan is being blackmailed with the love letters he sent to his ex-boyfriend and needs the help of a thief to rescue the situation. However, the situation is rather more complex than either initially realise and could have consequences that affect the whole of society.
Kind Prince who wants to help the people: check. Handsome thief who's good at heart: check. Evil Brother to the King: check. And so on. Tropes aside, I found the writing rather juvenile. The dialogue was clunky, the characters one-dimensional and the twists obvious. The sad thing is, it really had potential. I love the idea of a moving city and was intrigued by the wider world hinted out. Could be good with work.
I was provided this book free of charge in return for an honest review.
Will is an orphan who lives with his aunt, uncle and cousins. He's a talented thief with a talent for water magic - an unheard of ability outside of aristocratic circles. Interrupting a beat-down by the city guard, Will meets Aidan, second son of King Adam Garius. Betrothed to a neighbouring princess, Aidan is being blackmailed with the love letters he sent to his ex-boyfriend and needs the help of a thief to rescue the situation. However, the situation is rather more complex than either initially realise and could have consequences that affect the whole of society.
Kind Prince who wants to help the people: check. Handsome thief who's good at heart: check. Evil Brother to the King: check. And so on. Tropes aside, I found the writing rather juvenile. The dialogue was clunky, the characters one-dimensional and the twists obvious. The sad thing is, it really had potential. I love the idea of a moving city and was intrigued by the wider world hinted out. Could be good with work.
I was provided this book free of charge in return for an honest review.
December 18, 2020
2 stars ⭐⭐
This book left me unsatisfied to say the least. There was so much lost potential ; and I got to say I didn't know a book could be both fast paced and slow at the same time, but The Prince and the Thief managed to be just that.
I did read this in one sitting so I guess I was invested enough to see what happened and that's something ; but at the same time I felt like nothing seemed to really happen for the longest time and just when it started to get interesting it ended.
The characters were also bland and nothing really special about any of them and I'll probably forget about them in like a week. Which was disappointing because both Will and Aidan had some characteristics of some of my favorite male characters, but it was not enough and I didn't feel one bit of a connection to either one of them.
Nonetheless I still want to see where this story goes, like I said it was just starting to get interesting; so I will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel. I just really hope that it finally lives up to its potential.
Overall an okay read that I think might be better to read after the sequel is out.
I received a digital ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book left me unsatisfied to say the least. There was so much lost potential ; and I got to say I didn't know a book could be both fast paced and slow at the same time, but The Prince and the Thief managed to be just that.
I did read this in one sitting so I guess I was invested enough to see what happened and that's something ; but at the same time I felt like nothing seemed to really happen for the longest time and just when it started to get interesting it ended.
The characters were also bland and nothing really special about any of them and I'll probably forget about them in like a week. Which was disappointing because both Will and Aidan had some characteristics of some of my favorite male characters, but it was not enough and I didn't feel one bit of a connection to either one of them.
Nonetheless I still want to see where this story goes, like I said it was just starting to get interesting; so I will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel. I just really hope that it finally lives up to its potential.
Overall an okay read that I think might be better to read after the sequel is out.
I received a digital ARC via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 6, 2020
I flew this book, it's the kind of fantasy I was looking for right now. Will is a jewelry thief with magic powers, something unheard of, outside the nobility. One day, when he is returning from an assignment, he meets an enigmatic aristocrat that uses his powers to save a common girl. Will is immediately intrigued.
I loved the premise of the book, but I was left unsatisfied with the political intrigue, it lacked intrigue in general since I saw the various reveals coming from miles away.
Overall, it felt like the build-up for a book, not a proper book in itself. While many things did happen, I felt like it was lacking action, the stakes never felt particularly high. I kept reading, waiting for something big to happen, but it was a bit lackluster.
Nevertheless, I read it in just a couple of sittings, so that has to count for something. It was an enjoyable read, and I might pick up the second book once it comes out.
I received this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Because of this, I'd like to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
I loved the premise of the book, but I was left unsatisfied with the political intrigue, it lacked intrigue in general since I saw the various reveals coming from miles away.
Overall, it felt like the build-up for a book, not a proper book in itself. While many things did happen, I felt like it was lacking action, the stakes never felt particularly high. I kept reading, waiting for something big to happen, but it was a bit lackluster.
Nevertheless, I read it in just a couple of sittings, so that has to count for something. It was an enjoyable read, and I might pick up the second book once it comes out.
I received this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Because of this, I'd like to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
December 20, 2020
(an ARC was provided by netgalley in exchange of an honest review)
The Kingdom of Ambrosia is coming to tumultuous times. When Prince Aidan seeks the help of a thief to steal some compromising letters of his that are in possession of his uncle, he didn't know that some secrets would be revealed and that some things he thought he knew weren't exactly the truth. Will accepted helping steal something for the prince for a price, but ended up discovering some nasty things happening inside the palace and rumours outside of it. Will and Aidan start to be friends but with the things they just discovered that might be difficult, especially when both of them seem to care for each other more than they intended.
I loved the fast pacing of the story, it got me on the edge of my chair and so invoved with the plot that the characters were a bonus. Will and Aidan had such great chemistry and trust in each other, even if not so intense I know their friendship and maybe more will develop between them in the next book (even if things are exploding around them lol).
I can't wait for the next book!
The Kingdom of Ambrosia is coming to tumultuous times. When Prince Aidan seeks the help of a thief to steal some compromising letters of his that are in possession of his uncle, he didn't know that some secrets would be revealed and that some things he thought he knew weren't exactly the truth. Will accepted helping steal something for the prince for a price, but ended up discovering some nasty things happening inside the palace and rumours outside of it. Will and Aidan start to be friends but with the things they just discovered that might be difficult, especially when both of them seem to care for each other more than they intended.
I loved the fast pacing of the story, it got me on the edge of my chair and so invoved with the plot that the characters were a bonus. Will and Aidan had such great chemistry and trust in each other, even if not so intense I know their friendship and maybe more will develop between them in the next book (even if things are exploding around them lol).
I can't wait for the next book!
December 22, 2020
“It’s as though the walls are hemming me in, and I’m left hanging on nothing but the surety of Will’s firm gaze, caressed by the gentleness of his voice.”
Actual Rating: 3.5
Will is a thief, prowling the criminal underbelly of Ambrosia City when he comes across Prince Aidan coming to the rescue of a poor man being bullied by a city guard. Mistaking him for an aristocrat, Will thinks little of stealing the bracelet on his wrist and going on his merry way. When a job brings Will into the palace, Aidan catches him in the act of robbing a royal heirloom and the two strike a deal.
Forced to conceal his forbidden attraction toward men, Aiden hires Will to steal back the love letters his uncle is blackmailing him with. An unlikely partnership develops into a mutual budding attraction but a dangerous political plot threatens to tear them apart. Aidan struggles between his hopes to liberate the oppressed people of his kingdom and his family honor while Will’s loyalties become tied in with the rebels. Can the pair defeat the odds and their doubts to come together or does fate have other plans?
At less than 300 pages, this YA fantasy is a perfect choice for a quick read or when one is in a bit of a slump. The Prince and the Thief is engaging and fast-paced. I nearly read the whole novel in one evening, but I prefer to read review copies more slowly. Aidan and Will are both equally lovable characters and I found their growing attraction toward each other cute and endearing.
I’ve seen some complaints that the novel relies too heavily on tropes, which I agree with to a certain extent, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the characters and story. While not amazing development by any means, I still have to praise P.S. Scott for making me care so much for Aidan and Will, as well as the plot, within such a short amount of pages. I enjoyed the progression of Aidan beginning to wonder if there could be another life for him beyond the palace, as well as uncovering the dark secret of his family. Initially, Will cares for little else besides jewels and riches, but throughout the story grows a political conscience following meeting Aidan, which further comes into play when he becomes enveloped within the plans of Ambrosian rebels.
My only major complaints are with aspects of the writing style and world building. Neither of these are glaringly bad, but I feel obligated to bring them up, as they did persuade me to lower my rating to a 3.5. There are several passages and word choices that felt clunky to me and somewhat amateurish, but if I’m not mistaken this is only the author’s second published work. Perhaps, with a few more rounds of edits, the prose would have been more effective.
As for the world building, I definitely wanted to know more about the land and the magic system. There’s a fun and whimsical quality to the elemental magic (the Earth magic Aidan uses grants him the ability to conjure entrapping vines, Will has mastered his water magic in order to make the skies rain), as well as some of the quirks of Ambrosia City (for example, the street Will and other criminals hang out often breaks apart and rearranges itself). However, I was hoping to see different types and uses of this magic, as well as develop a deeper knowledge of Ambrosia and the surrounding countries. I’m optimistic these both might be further developed in the sequel, which I’ll be keeping my eye out for.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and short YA fantasy with queer rep. I went into The Prince and the Thief thinking it would be a charming love story, but I appreciated how the author weaves serious topics within the narrative as well (trigger warnings for pedophilia). I’m excited that this story will continue and am looking forward to its sequel, The Fate of Kings. Keep your eyes peeled for this January 7th release.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5
Will is a thief, prowling the criminal underbelly of Ambrosia City when he comes across Prince Aidan coming to the rescue of a poor man being bullied by a city guard. Mistaking him for an aristocrat, Will thinks little of stealing the bracelet on his wrist and going on his merry way. When a job brings Will into the palace, Aidan catches him in the act of robbing a royal heirloom and the two strike a deal.
Forced to conceal his forbidden attraction toward men, Aiden hires Will to steal back the love letters his uncle is blackmailing him with. An unlikely partnership develops into a mutual budding attraction but a dangerous political plot threatens to tear them apart. Aidan struggles between his hopes to liberate the oppressed people of his kingdom and his family honor while Will’s loyalties become tied in with the rebels. Can the pair defeat the odds and their doubts to come together or does fate have other plans?
At less than 300 pages, this YA fantasy is a perfect choice for a quick read or when one is in a bit of a slump. The Prince and the Thief is engaging and fast-paced. I nearly read the whole novel in one evening, but I prefer to read review copies more slowly. Aidan and Will are both equally lovable characters and I found their growing attraction toward each other cute and endearing.
I’ve seen some complaints that the novel relies too heavily on tropes, which I agree with to a certain extent, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the characters and story. While not amazing development by any means, I still have to praise P.S. Scott for making me care so much for Aidan and Will, as well as the plot, within such a short amount of pages. I enjoyed the progression of Aidan beginning to wonder if there could be another life for him beyond the palace, as well as uncovering the dark secret of his family. Initially, Will cares for little else besides jewels and riches, but throughout the story grows a political conscience following meeting Aidan, which further comes into play when he becomes enveloped within the plans of Ambrosian rebels.
My only major complaints are with aspects of the writing style and world building. Neither of these are glaringly bad, but I feel obligated to bring them up, as they did persuade me to lower my rating to a 3.5. There are several passages and word choices that felt clunky to me and somewhat amateurish, but if I’m not mistaken this is only the author’s second published work. Perhaps, with a few more rounds of edits, the prose would have been more effective.
As for the world building, I definitely wanted to know more about the land and the magic system. There’s a fun and whimsical quality to the elemental magic (the Earth magic Aidan uses grants him the ability to conjure entrapping vines, Will has mastered his water magic in order to make the skies rain), as well as some of the quirks of Ambrosia City (for example, the street Will and other criminals hang out often breaks apart and rearranges itself). However, I was hoping to see different types and uses of this magic, as well as develop a deeper knowledge of Ambrosia and the surrounding countries. I’m optimistic these both might be further developed in the sequel, which I’ll be keeping my eye out for.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and short YA fantasy with queer rep. I went into The Prince and the Thief thinking it would be a charming love story, but I appreciated how the author weaves serious topics within the narrative as well (trigger warnings for pedophilia). I’m excited that this story will continue and am looking forward to its sequel, The Fate of Kings. Keep your eyes peeled for this January 7th release.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 24, 2020
The Prince and the Thief is a fantasy-based LGBTQ+ novel by P.S. Scott. The story looks at the main characters Will (the thief, who also has magical powers) and Aiden (the prince). One day both of them are thrown together when Will comes across Aiden giving help to someone in the street. This is the beginning of their story. From there we see the story develop as Will is thrown into Aiden’s life, trying to help him steal back some important letters that Aiden’s uncle is trying to blackmail him with. From their unlikely partnership, we also see their feelings for each other develop as both characters struggle with their place in the ‘worlds’ that they live in.
There is a lot going on with the story line in this book, not only do we have a budding romance, but we also have intrigue, politics, secrets and some twist and turns along the way which make this an easy and enjoyable read. As it is a series, there are some questions left unanswered, story-lines under-developed and some characters who we are left wanting to know more about. But, overall, a good read!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: http://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
There is a lot going on with the story line in this book, not only do we have a budding romance, but we also have intrigue, politics, secrets and some twist and turns along the way which make this an easy and enjoyable read. As it is a series, there are some questions left unanswered, story-lines under-developed and some characters who we are left wanting to know more about. But, overall, a good read!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: http://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
December 16, 2020
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me a e-copy of this book.
So I enjoyed reading this book, it was entertaining and a really quick read.
BUT. It felt like a first draft. Some plots are introduced and completely forgotten in the next chapters, there are cool ideas which are not developped at all.
I was confused by one of the MC facing issues he could resolve himself.
You think the story is going somewhere but, because some things which seem important at the beginning just dissapear, we don't really know what is at stake anymore.
The main characters are cool, but this book feels like a first draft and could use an improvement on the managment of plots and subplots. And it ended when it was becoming very interesting!
So I enjoyed reading this book, it was entertaining and a really quick read.
BUT. It felt like a first draft. Some plots are introduced and completely forgotten in the next chapters, there are cool ideas which are not developped at all.
I was confused by one of the MC facing issues he could resolve himself.
You think the story is going somewhere but, because some things which seem important at the beginning just dissapear, we don't really know what is at stake anymore.
The main characters are cool, but this book feels like a first draft and could use an improvement on the managment of plots and subplots. And it ended when it was becoming very interesting!
November 4, 2022
The Prince And The theif is a quick and easy read and has great potential. I loved the characters and would recommend it to others.
I received a copy of the book from vorious readers only in exchange for a honest review.
I received a copy of the book from vorious readers only in exchange for a honest review.
December 30, 2020
This was an ok read! I flew right through it and it had great world building but its only builds to find out nothing happens... I guess that's what book 2 will be about then.
January 24, 2021
Well, that was fun. The Prince and the Thief was full of twists and turns. It was also full of secrets and Aiden wasn’t the only one keeping them.
There’s more to Will than the fact that he’s a thief, just as there’s more to Aiden than the fact that he’s a prince. From the time that they met each other they knew that each of them wasn’t quite what they seemed.
The Prince and the Thief was set in a world full of magic meant to be practiced only by the royal class. Where social status was everything and prejudice was everywhere. Not even the royal class had it as good as the non-royals thought – hence the importance of well-kept secrets.
Since this is the first book in the Ambrosia Royals series, I can’t wait to see what the author has in store next… and for who. 😉
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Prince and the Thief. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There’s more to Will than the fact that he’s a thief, just as there’s more to Aiden than the fact that he’s a prince. From the time that they met each other they knew that each of them wasn’t quite what they seemed.
The Prince and the Thief was set in a world full of magic meant to be practiced only by the royal class. Where social status was everything and prejudice was everywhere. Not even the royal class had it as good as the non-royals thought – hence the importance of well-kept secrets.
Since this is the first book in the Ambrosia Royals series, I can’t wait to see what the author has in store next… and for who. 😉
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Prince and the Thief. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 13, 2021
Honestly, I was a bit confused with this book. I cannot say I disliked it because I've started reading it and only stopped at the end, it only took me an afternoon. However, there were some things I didn't quite enjoy.
Firstly, one of the things that bothered me was how the story was fast and slow paced at the same time, if that makes any sense. When the plot was finally going somewhere and getting interesting, the book ended. I was a bit disappointed by that. I feel like this book was a bit under developed, there was room for so much more, and the ending felt a bit rushed. Even though the cliffhanger at the end tells us there will be more books, I still think the author could deepen the story a little bit more before the ending.
The characters were interesting, I liked the general idea of them, but we could get way more information and depth on them. Also, their motivations could be more worked on. For instance, Will's uncle. Why did he do that, in the first place? We get to know he did that, but we don't quite know why or what motivated him to act that way. What's in it for him? How could be benefit from it? I have this sort of questions for more characters, hence my opinion on that matter.
Also, I wanted to talk about the world building. I liked the idea of the different countries and what they represented, the setting the story takes place and the fact that only aristocracy has magical powers.
Other thing that was a bit confusing for me.... I didn't quite get why the city would shake and reconstruct from time to time, though. But that probably escaped me.
In the end I would like to finish this book with a little more knowledge of the rest of the world, since we only get to know a little bit of Aqua and Chronos besides the city this takes place. We don't have much more information on the other countries, except a few lines in the beginning of the story, and I would like that.
Firstly, one of the things that bothered me was how the story was fast and slow paced at the same time, if that makes any sense. When the plot was finally going somewhere and getting interesting, the book ended. I was a bit disappointed by that. I feel like this book was a bit under developed, there was room for so much more, and the ending felt a bit rushed. Even though the cliffhanger at the end tells us there will be more books, I still think the author could deepen the story a little bit more before the ending.
The characters were interesting, I liked the general idea of them, but we could get way more information and depth on them. Also, their motivations could be more worked on. For instance, Will's uncle. Why did he do that, in the first place? We get to know he did that, but we don't quite know why or what motivated him to act that way. What's in it for him? How could be benefit from it? I have this sort of questions for more characters, hence my opinion on that matter.
Also, I wanted to talk about the world building. I liked the idea of the different countries and what they represented, the setting the story takes place and the fact that only aristocracy has magical powers.
Other thing that was a bit confusing for me.... I didn't quite get why the city would shake and reconstruct from time to time, though. But that probably escaped me.
In the end I would like to finish this book with a little more knowledge of the rest of the world, since we only get to know a little bit of Aqua and Chronos besides the city this takes place. We don't have much more information on the other countries, except a few lines in the beginning of the story, and I would like that.
June 10, 2021
DNF at 48%.
Will is a commoner and a thief, a commoner with water magic - something only nobles from Aqua, the underwater kingdom, should possess. One night he stumbles across a young man trying to save a young girl in one of the notorious areas of the city, he is shocked to see the young man use serious amounts of earth magic - what is a nobleman doing in the slums? The next day his uncle orders him to break into the royal palace and steal a ring from under the King's bed. Will is surprised to see the same young noble in the palace and learn that he is Prince Aidan.
Aidan is the second prince of Ambrosia, his father is forcing him to marry a princess from the neighbouring kingdom of Chronos to create an alliance between their kingdoms. Aidan doesn't want to marry anyone, especially not a woman, but it is forbidden for the aristocracy to have same sex relationships so his love for Orion, the son of Ambrosia's Minister of Law, must remain secret. Unfortunately for Aidan, his abusive Uncle Nicholas, the Prince Regent has incriminating letters between Aidan and Orion which he threatens to share with the King, unless Aidan steals a key to the travel line chamber.
I loved the premise of this, opposites attract, LGBTQ+ fantasy involving political upheaval. Unfortunately, 48% into the book and nothing seems to have happened. Also, the book is told in alternating chapters by Will and Aidan but there is no change of 'voice' between a prince and a commoner, no change of language and it feels like a relentless stream of 'I, I, I, I, I' page after page, after page. So almost six months after I first started reading this book I am giving up. The pace is too slow and everything feels all too predictable.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Will is a commoner and a thief, a commoner with water magic - something only nobles from Aqua, the underwater kingdom, should possess. One night he stumbles across a young man trying to save a young girl in one of the notorious areas of the city, he is shocked to see the young man use serious amounts of earth magic - what is a nobleman doing in the slums? The next day his uncle orders him to break into the royal palace and steal a ring from under the King's bed. Will is surprised to see the same young noble in the palace and learn that he is Prince Aidan.
Aidan is the second prince of Ambrosia, his father is forcing him to marry a princess from the neighbouring kingdom of Chronos to create an alliance between their kingdoms. Aidan doesn't want to marry anyone, especially not a woman, but it is forbidden for the aristocracy to have same sex relationships so his love for Orion, the son of Ambrosia's Minister of Law, must remain secret. Unfortunately for Aidan, his abusive Uncle Nicholas, the Prince Regent has incriminating letters between Aidan and Orion which he threatens to share with the King, unless Aidan steals a key to the travel line chamber.
I loved the premise of this, opposites attract, LGBTQ+ fantasy involving political upheaval. Unfortunately, 48% into the book and nothing seems to have happened. Also, the book is told in alternating chapters by Will and Aidan but there is no change of 'voice' between a prince and a commoner, no change of language and it feels like a relentless stream of 'I, I, I, I, I' page after page, after page. So almost six months after I first started reading this book I am giving up. The pace is too slow and everything feels all too predictable.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 7, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the eARC to review.
This book had some inklings of interesting ideas, but unfortunately there were simply too many glaring issues with inconsistencies and lack of originality. At times, the world-building presents interesting concepts in the form of a constantly shifting and transforming street or magical currents that nobles with magical stones are able to travel along, but when the larger world is comprised of kingdoms named “Aqua” (the kingdom of water) and “Chronos” (the kingdom of time), I cannot help but feel like the potential for originality is wasted. The characters feel like cardboard cut-outs; all I know about our main characters is that they are a prince and a thief, which I already gathered from the title. The writing style is full of awkward info-dumping, spending whole pages on describing family members and settings instead of spreading them out over the narrative. The end of the book is awkwardly cut off at a cliffhanger without resolving any kind of plot, which just frustrated me endlessly after already being underwhelmed by the rest of this book. On top of all that, themes of homophobia and sexual assault are presented but were, to me, not handled with the care they needed, so this entire book just fell flat for me. 1/5 stars.
This book had some inklings of interesting ideas, but unfortunately there were simply too many glaring issues with inconsistencies and lack of originality. At times, the world-building presents interesting concepts in the form of a constantly shifting and transforming street or magical currents that nobles with magical stones are able to travel along, but when the larger world is comprised of kingdoms named “Aqua” (the kingdom of water) and “Chronos” (the kingdom of time), I cannot help but feel like the potential for originality is wasted. The characters feel like cardboard cut-outs; all I know about our main characters is that they are a prince and a thief, which I already gathered from the title. The writing style is full of awkward info-dumping, spending whole pages on describing family members and settings instead of spreading them out over the narrative. The end of the book is awkwardly cut off at a cliffhanger without resolving any kind of plot, which just frustrated me endlessly after already being underwhelmed by the rest of this book. On top of all that, themes of homophobia and sexual assault are presented but were, to me, not handled with the care they needed, so this entire book just fell flat for me. 1/5 stars.
July 6, 2022
The Prince and the Thief was a quick read that had an interesting plotline. While there was nonstop action, it felt like a lot of the quests the main characters went on were pointless and didn’t contribute to the actual plot. For a book as short as this one, I felt that the editors could have found some unnecessary bits to cut out and places for P.S. Scott to add more to.
I really did like the premise of the book, keeping me intrigued and wanting to learn what would happen, but it fell short. Right when I thought the action would ramp up, the plotline died back down with some unnecessary drama. In addition, I guessed 99% of the “twists” that the book presented, which is always somewhat disappointing. While 2.5 stars may seem low, I do recommend this book out to people looking for a quick LGBTQ+ young adult fantasy read. I did enjoy the plot and am interested to continue on in the story with P.S. Scott’s second book in the Ambrosia Royals series.
I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I really did like the premise of the book, keeping me intrigued and wanting to learn what would happen, but it fell short. Right when I thought the action would ramp up, the plotline died back down with some unnecessary drama. In addition, I guessed 99% of the “twists” that the book presented, which is always somewhat disappointing. While 2.5 stars may seem low, I do recommend this book out to people looking for a quick LGBTQ+ young adult fantasy read. I did enjoy the plot and am interested to continue on in the story with P.S. Scott’s second book in the Ambrosia Royals series.
I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 18, 2021
TWs: Mentions of sexual assault and rape, pedophilia.
In this book we follow two characters, Will, a jewel thief that wants nothing more than to be rich, and Aidan, the second prince of Ambrosia who has a secret that could shatter his reputation if it ever came out. When the two of them cross paths, they form a partnership from which they both hope to get what they want. But as new secrets emerge, Will and Aidan are forced to fight on opposite sides.
I found this book lacking plot-wise, as it felt like it had so much potential to be more than it ended up being. The characters felt flat and lifeless, and I didn't care much for any of them. The world was intriguing with the streets breaking apart and shifting, and I wish we would've gotten more about all that concept.
Overall, this book was a fast read and very easy to follow, but it unfortunately wasn't for me.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this book we follow two characters, Will, a jewel thief that wants nothing more than to be rich, and Aidan, the second prince of Ambrosia who has a secret that could shatter his reputation if it ever came out. When the two of them cross paths, they form a partnership from which they both hope to get what they want. But as new secrets emerge, Will and Aidan are forced to fight on opposite sides.
I found this book lacking plot-wise, as it felt like it had so much potential to be more than it ended up being. The characters felt flat and lifeless, and I didn't care much for any of them. The world was intriguing with the streets breaking apart and shifting, and I wish we would've gotten more about all that concept.
Overall, this book was a fast read and very easy to follow, but it unfortunately wasn't for me.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2020
English/Spanish.
First thanks Netgally for letting me read this copy in advance in exchange for an honest opinion.
Uf definitely this is the fantasy that I needed, light, funny and entertaining.
In the prince and the thief there are two main characters; Will, a thief that is in love with money and shiny thing, his biggest desire is to be rich, to not worry about anything and to have a lot of jewels, he has no interest in politics or in trying to change the situation in the country he is living in. On the other side we have Aidan, the prince of Ambrosia, a young guy that has a big secret and believes in a better life for his people, always in favor of the revolution and in giving opportunities to the less fortunate
Those two meet each other when Will has to steal a ring from the palace and Aidan uses Will’s abilities to fix a problem he is in. Little by little both of them start to develop feelings for each other. But not everything is so easy, they get themselves involved in intrigues, political problems, deaths, secrets and a rising revolution.
As I say at the beginning this fantasy is entertaining, the system of elemental magic has always been one of my favorites. The story, besides the fact that it looks so tangled, it isn’t. Actually it is really, but really predictable, you see the biggest “secret” coming since half the book, and the plot twist doesn’t have a surprise, in that aspect it was kind of disappointing, The romance is not seen in this first book, and that is something I appreciate, if it hadn’t been like that, the romance would have been instantaneous, and with a lack of fundament. What we do have is attraction and sexual tension, and that keeps the story interesting.
As this is the first book of the series there are a lot of unsolved questions, the rhythm is really fluent and you don’t get bored, it maintains the tension and without noticing you already finish. On the other side, and something “bad” is that there are a lot of unnecessary repetitions and some contradictions that are not exactly important, it is strange to follow as you are reading.
To sum up, this is a fresh book of light fantasy, it has some problems according to the predictability, the writing, and the lack of a new proposal, but it is interesting and entertaining to read, it has such charismatic characters and you love them, It is perfect if you are looking for a easy story to read with some magic and intrigues involved. 3/5 stars
--------- --------- ---------
Uf en definitiva es la fantasía que necesitaba, ligera, divertida y entretenida.
Aquí tenemos a dos personajes principales, Will es un ladrón que está enamorado del dinero y las cosas brillantes, su deseo es poder ser rico, no preocuparse por nada y tener un montón de piedras preciosas, no tiene intereses en política o de cambiar la situación actual de su país. Por otro lado tenemos a Aidan, príncipe de Ambrosía, un joven que oculta un secreto y que cree en la mejor vida para sus súbditos, a favor de la revolución y de darle oportunidades a los menos afortunados.
Estos dos personajes se encuentran cuando Will tiene que robar del palacio y Aidan usa sus habilidades para resolver un aprieto en el que se encuentra metido. Poco a poco estos dos comienzan a desarrollar sentimientos, pero no tienen todo fácil, se ven envueltos en intrigas políticas, muertes, secretos y una revolución que sale a flote cada vez más.
Como dije al inicio es una fantasía bastante entretenida, el sistema de magia elemental siempre me ha llamado mucho la atención. La historia a pesar de parecer enredada no lo es. De hecho es bastante predecible, el gran “secreto” lo ves venir desde la mitad del libro y no es un gran plot twist, en ese aspecto es un poco decepcionante. El romance como tal no se ve en este primer libro y eso es algo que se agradece porque sino hubiera sido demasiado instantáneo y sin fundamento, pero si tenemos una atracción y un poco de tensión sexual y mantiene la historia interesante.
Al ser un libro introductorio hay muchas preguntas que no son resueltas y te dejan las ganas de querer saber cómo es que todo se va a resolver. El ritmo es bastante fluido y no hay momento en el que te aburras, logra mantener la tensión y sin darte cuenta ya acabaste el libro. Pero también tiene bastantes repeticiones innecesarias y una que otra incongruencia que si bien no son muy importantes, resultan extrañas conforme el libro va avanzando.
En conclusión, es un libro fresco, de fantasía ligera, tiene algunos inconvenientes en cuanto a lo predecible, la escritura y que no tiene una propuesta nueva, pero es entretenido de leer, los personajes son carismáticos y hacen que te quedes enganchado. Es perfecto si buscas una historia fácil de leer y con toques mágicos e intrigas. 3/5 estrellas.
First thanks Netgally for letting me read this copy in advance in exchange for an honest opinion.
Uf definitely this is the fantasy that I needed, light, funny and entertaining.
In the prince and the thief there are two main characters; Will, a thief that is in love with money and shiny thing, his biggest desire is to be rich, to not worry about anything and to have a lot of jewels, he has no interest in politics or in trying to change the situation in the country he is living in. On the other side we have Aidan, the prince of Ambrosia, a young guy that has a big secret and believes in a better life for his people, always in favor of the revolution and in giving opportunities to the less fortunate
Those two meet each other when Will has to steal a ring from the palace and Aidan uses Will’s abilities to fix a problem he is in. Little by little both of them start to develop feelings for each other. But not everything is so easy, they get themselves involved in intrigues, political problems, deaths, secrets and a rising revolution.
As I say at the beginning this fantasy is entertaining, the system of elemental magic has always been one of my favorites. The story, besides the fact that it looks so tangled, it isn’t. Actually it is really, but really predictable, you see the biggest “secret” coming since half the book, and the plot twist doesn’t have a surprise, in that aspect it was kind of disappointing, The romance is not seen in this first book, and that is something I appreciate, if it hadn’t been like that, the romance would have been instantaneous, and with a lack of fundament. What we do have is attraction and sexual tension, and that keeps the story interesting.
As this is the first book of the series there are a lot of unsolved questions, the rhythm is really fluent and you don’t get bored, it maintains the tension and without noticing you already finish. On the other side, and something “bad” is that there are a lot of unnecessary repetitions and some contradictions that are not exactly important, it is strange to follow as you are reading.
To sum up, this is a fresh book of light fantasy, it has some problems according to the predictability, the writing, and the lack of a new proposal, but it is interesting and entertaining to read, it has such charismatic characters and you love them, It is perfect if you are looking for a easy story to read with some magic and intrigues involved. 3/5 stars
--------- --------- ---------
Uf en definitiva es la fantasía que necesitaba, ligera, divertida y entretenida.
Aquí tenemos a dos personajes principales, Will es un ladrón que está enamorado del dinero y las cosas brillantes, su deseo es poder ser rico, no preocuparse por nada y tener un montón de piedras preciosas, no tiene intereses en política o de cambiar la situación actual de su país. Por otro lado tenemos a Aidan, príncipe de Ambrosía, un joven que oculta un secreto y que cree en la mejor vida para sus súbditos, a favor de la revolución y de darle oportunidades a los menos afortunados.
Estos dos personajes se encuentran cuando Will tiene que robar del palacio y Aidan usa sus habilidades para resolver un aprieto en el que se encuentra metido. Poco a poco estos dos comienzan a desarrollar sentimientos, pero no tienen todo fácil, se ven envueltos en intrigas políticas, muertes, secretos y una revolución que sale a flote cada vez más.
Como dije al inicio es una fantasía bastante entretenida, el sistema de magia elemental siempre me ha llamado mucho la atención. La historia a pesar de parecer enredada no lo es. De hecho es bastante predecible, el gran “secreto” lo ves venir desde la mitad del libro y no es un gran plot twist, en ese aspecto es un poco decepcionante. El romance como tal no se ve en este primer libro y eso es algo que se agradece porque sino hubiera sido demasiado instantáneo y sin fundamento, pero si tenemos una atracción y un poco de tensión sexual y mantiene la historia interesante.
Al ser un libro introductorio hay muchas preguntas que no son resueltas y te dejan las ganas de querer saber cómo es que todo se va a resolver. El ritmo es bastante fluido y no hay momento en el que te aburras, logra mantener la tensión y sin darte cuenta ya acabaste el libro. Pero también tiene bastantes repeticiones innecesarias y una que otra incongruencia que si bien no son muy importantes, resultan extrañas conforme el libro va avanzando.
En conclusión, es un libro fresco, de fantasía ligera, tiene algunos inconvenientes en cuanto a lo predecible, la escritura y que no tiene una propuesta nueva, pero es entretenido de leer, los personajes son carismáticos y hacen que te quedes enganchado. Es perfecto si buscas una historia fácil de leer y con toques mágicos e intrigas. 3/5 estrellas.
December 8, 2020
I’m going to start saying one of the only things I didn’t absolutely love about this book: there were a few inconsistencies in some of scenes, like Aiden and Will’s ages, but those were things I could easily overlook, as I don’t have many other complaints.
Now, let’s start with the praise party I’ll be hosting today in this post! Both the plot and the characters are simply fascinating. No less than that. Basically, the story centers around Aidan and Will, the prince and the thief respectively. Aidan is gay, but not out, since his family arranged a marriage between him and a princess from a powerful kingdom, and his uncle is blackmailing him with love letters sent to and by his ex boyfriend, threatening to reveal the secret. That’s why he hires Will to steal the letters from his uncle’s house.
I gotta say I loved the way the roles had been switched in the book from what would normally would be the secure route: Aidan, the prince, is kind and altruistic, while Will, the thief who lives without luxuries but wished he did, is the materialistic, egocentric one. That alone already got me from the start. The world building is also good, having powers related to the elements, which reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
But that isn’t all: trauma and the relationships between the characters are incredibly well explored. Aidan’s problems with his family are nicely portrayed; as someone who has those as well, the way it was told resonated with me. Despite them doing things that are wrong, there’s still that conflict, the doubt about the undoubtable, that’s hard to explain, but I feel like Scott did this right.
It’s scary how much I’m loving this book right now. I started it this morning, because I made the mistake of requesting too many books on NetGalley, all at once, so I gotta push myself towards reading everything (or, at least, most of it) as soon as possible and I finished it at [checks clock] 19:45. The story is extremely attention grabbing, the plot is well developed just like the pacing (I didn’t get bored for even a minute!), Scott’s work with the characters is fantastic, the world building is nice and the ratio between lore information and plot/character development is just perfect, the right measure, the relationships are well built... Some scenes and information like ages, as I said before, aren’t exactly consistent, but with everything Scott got right, it was easy for me to turn a blind eye.
One warning I must give you, though, if you’re going to read it is, there are some trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape, child abuse and mentions of death. There’s nothing graphic, but it’s explicit enough to be triggering, so make sure you’re safe!
Now, let’s start with the praise party I’ll be hosting today in this post! Both the plot and the characters are simply fascinating. No less than that. Basically, the story centers around Aidan and Will, the prince and the thief respectively. Aidan is gay, but not out, since his family arranged a marriage between him and a princess from a powerful kingdom, and his uncle is blackmailing him with love letters sent to and by his ex boyfriend, threatening to reveal the secret. That’s why he hires Will to steal the letters from his uncle’s house.
I gotta say I loved the way the roles had been switched in the book from what would normally would be the secure route: Aidan, the prince, is kind and altruistic, while Will, the thief who lives without luxuries but wished he did, is the materialistic, egocentric one. That alone already got me from the start. The world building is also good, having powers related to the elements, which reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
But that isn’t all: trauma and the relationships between the characters are incredibly well explored. Aidan’s problems with his family are nicely portrayed; as someone who has those as well, the way it was told resonated with me. Despite them doing things that are wrong, there’s still that conflict, the doubt about the undoubtable, that’s hard to explain, but I feel like Scott did this right.
It’s scary how much I’m loving this book right now. I started it this morning, because I made the mistake of requesting too many books on NetGalley, all at once, so I gotta push myself towards reading everything (or, at least, most of it) as soon as possible and I finished it at [checks clock] 19:45. The story is extremely attention grabbing, the plot is well developed just like the pacing (I didn’t get bored for even a minute!), Scott’s work with the characters is fantastic, the world building is nice and the ratio between lore information and plot/character development is just perfect, the right measure, the relationships are well built... Some scenes and information like ages, as I said before, aren’t exactly consistent, but with everything Scott got right, it was easy for me to turn a blind eye.
One warning I must give you, though, if you’re going to read it is, there are some trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape, child abuse and mentions of death. There’s nothing graphic, but it’s explicit enough to be triggering, so make sure you’re safe!
December 22, 2020
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I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve waffled for several minutes on how to start this review. The beginning is always the hardest. Do you start with a summary? Do you talk about the characters first? Do you just jump straight in and start shouting about the plot? Every book is different and, I think, needs a slightly different touch. The first thing popping into my head with this one?
I thought it would be gayer.
First of all, I love fantasy romance and from the summary of this book it sounded like just my cup of tea. Then make it gay and I am THERE. I want my grubby weirdly small adult hands on it. Will, our jewel thief living in a run down part of the capital with the palace looming high above, is good at what he does. His parents died when he was just a baby and he was raised by a family who seem to love him but, let’s face it, also use him as a means to an end. Will seems like a good guy. He does what needs to be done with very little consequences. He comes across as hard working yet still carefree with a desire to just be happy.
Then we have Aiden, the prince. Aiden, I think, could do with a touch of editing. At first he seems like a strong, masculine type character who is slightly adrift with his place in the world. He isn’t the prince who will inherent the crown which makes him the prince who will be married off for political alliance. His character quickly devolves into a bit of a weak whiner. Everything puts a hitch in his giddy up and he lets everything get to him. He also does not seem like the brightest bulb on the tree. Do I like Aiden? Not really. But I wanted to.
Aiden hires Will to steal his love letters to a male member of the court from his pedophile uncle who is trying to blackmail him. They interact a lot during the period between hiring and executing the heist and I kept waiting for Gay Shit, however, there was some pining so I supposed that is something.
This book is rather short but the end sets itself up pretty nicely, and dramatically, for a series continuation and I’d be interested in picking up the next book when it comes out. The plot of this story is good but it does need expanded upon and the characters developed further. Overall, a good read and I would recommend it for people who enjoy fantasy romance that isn’t too heavy.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve waffled for several minutes on how to start this review. The beginning is always the hardest. Do you start with a summary? Do you talk about the characters first? Do you just jump straight in and start shouting about the plot? Every book is different and, I think, needs a slightly different touch. The first thing popping into my head with this one?
I thought it would be gayer.
First of all, I love fantasy romance and from the summary of this book it sounded like just my cup of tea. Then make it gay and I am THERE. I want my grubby weirdly small adult hands on it. Will, our jewel thief living in a run down part of the capital with the palace looming high above, is good at what he does. His parents died when he was just a baby and he was raised by a family who seem to love him but, let’s face it, also use him as a means to an end. Will seems like a good guy. He does what needs to be done with very little consequences. He comes across as hard working yet still carefree with a desire to just be happy.
Then we have Aiden, the prince. Aiden, I think, could do with a touch of editing. At first he seems like a strong, masculine type character who is slightly adrift with his place in the world. He isn’t the prince who will inherent the crown which makes him the prince who will be married off for political alliance. His character quickly devolves into a bit of a weak whiner. Everything puts a hitch in his giddy up and he lets everything get to him. He also does not seem like the brightest bulb on the tree. Do I like Aiden? Not really. But I wanted to.
Aiden hires Will to steal his love letters to a male member of the court from his pedophile uncle who is trying to blackmail him. They interact a lot during the period between hiring and executing the heist and I kept waiting for Gay Shit, however, there was some pining so I supposed that is something.
This book is rather short but the end sets itself up pretty nicely, and dramatically, for a series continuation and I’d be interested in picking up the next book when it comes out. The plot of this story is good but it does need expanded upon and the characters developed further. Overall, a good read and I would recommend it for people who enjoy fantasy romance that isn’t too heavy.
December 5, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and P.S. Scott for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a very quick read (for me, at least) that I attribute to both Aidan and Will. I loved them both and wanted to keep reading just for them (read: me pushing their heads together going "kiss already!").
However, there are a lot of issues I had with the writing itself that kept me from giving the book a higher rating. Quite a bit of text is repetitive to the point of irritation; for example, the phrase "revolutionary club" is used three times in three short sentences. There's also inconsistency with characters. Is Aidan 17 or 18? I could have sworn an early line said he had just turned 18, but later on he's 17. Aidan's older brother is the heir apparent, which would make Aidan second in line for the throne. But it's mentioned if his brother has "another son", Aidan would be pushed to third in line. But if there's already a nephew, then Aidan already *is* third in line. "Another" nephew would push him to fourth.
Another prominent character apparently has selective blindness; on one page Will says of this previously-established character "I hope he doesn't see me standing back here", but the next page he says "I sure am glad he's blind and can't see me standing back here". ?????? Why does a blind person need to hold up a candle, by the way? How does a blind person examine (visually) another's wardrobe choice? There is a lot of inconsistency in the book, but this one is honestly the most glaringly painful that I can't just ignore.
The last big issues are how things overlap differently (ex: a character is shoved into a room with a hidden third party and says nothing in response to being pushed, but in the POV switch they suddenly have a piece of dialogue) and no one seems to have the slightest idea of why anything is happening without an info dump (ex: Aidan seems surprised that there was a king before his father; this could be interpreted as his playing dumb out of self-preservation, but at face value just seems like he's painfully naïve.
I really was invested in Aidan and Will's relationship and the big plot twist, but there really should be some major editing and sensitivity readings by actual blind people. The framework of a story is there and I'm definitely intrigued, but if book two is constructed and edited the same as this one, I'm filing to have to pass. I really wish I could give this more than three stars, but there ya have it.
This was a very quick read (for me, at least) that I attribute to both Aidan and Will. I loved them both and wanted to keep reading just for them (read: me pushing their heads together going "kiss already!").
However, there are a lot of issues I had with the writing itself that kept me from giving the book a higher rating. Quite a bit of text is repetitive to the point of irritation; for example, the phrase "revolutionary club" is used three times in three short sentences. There's also inconsistency with characters. Is Aidan 17 or 18? I could have sworn an early line said he had just turned 18, but later on he's 17. Aidan's older brother is the heir apparent, which would make Aidan second in line for the throne. But it's mentioned if his brother has "another son", Aidan would be pushed to third in line. But if there's already a nephew, then Aidan already *is* third in line. "Another" nephew would push him to fourth.
Another prominent character apparently has selective blindness; on one page Will says of this previously-established character "I hope he doesn't see me standing back here", but the next page he says "I sure am glad he's blind and can't see me standing back here". ?????? Why does a blind person need to hold up a candle, by the way? How does a blind person examine (visually) another's wardrobe choice? There is a lot of inconsistency in the book, but this one is honestly the most glaringly painful that I can't just ignore.
The last big issues are how things overlap differently (ex: a character is shoved into a room with a hidden third party and says nothing in response to being pushed, but in the POV switch they suddenly have a piece of dialogue) and no one seems to have the slightest idea of why anything is happening without an info dump (ex: Aidan seems surprised that there was a king before his father; this could be interpreted as his playing dumb out of self-preservation, but at face value just seems like he's painfully naïve.
I really was invested in Aidan and Will's relationship and the big plot twist, but there really should be some major editing and sensitivity readings by actual blind people. The framework of a story is there and I'm definitely intrigued, but if book two is constructed and edited the same as this one, I'm filing to have to pass. I really wish I could give this more than three stars, but there ya have it.
January 8, 2021
Great potential that wasn’t tapped at all
The blurb made me want to read the book because it said that it would be similar to “Captive Prince” by C. S. Pacat and I obsessed over that series. So, I had great expectations for “The Prince and the Thief” which in fortunately weren’t met at all.
Though, the plot is still quite good and when the story-telling would have been better I am sure the book could have good potential. We have a fantasy world with magic, kings, princes, revolutionaries and – the most original part for me – Crimson Street, a city quarter which alters its layout every few hours/minutes. And we have Aidan (Prince to the kingdom) and Will (a jewel thief) who come together and form an unlikely pact. Unfortunately for me, the characters stay quite flat and inconsistent mainly because there is so much inconsistency in how they feel, what they think and what they believe. It sometimes even led me to going back a few pages to reread several scenes in order to check whether I missed something – I hadn’t.
There are also highly illogical things happening (e.g. the revolutionary clubs are exclusive and secret, but it’s alright to talk to a complete stranger about the revolution and treasonous actions), things that led to the question of WHY (e.g. Why is there a segregated, forbidden area of the library that holds mainly erotic literature? And why does Aidan plainly accept it without question when a stranger tells him for the first time in his 17 or 18 years old life that his father massacred an entire dynasty in order to become king?. What also bothers me is that all the discovery of secrets and plots in the book happens too coincidental; Will and Aidan seem to always be at the right place at the right time – that kills all the excitement and is far too easy for a good deep fantasy story.
Also there are wrong names (Aidan is called Will in a scene where Will isn’t present), wrong time frames and Aidan tends to be 18 at the beginning of the book but is 17 later - that's something I can't really forgive for a published story having been read by an editor before that. Additionally, the style of writing (for me) was repetitive and stagnant which in the end led to the 1.5 stars rating for the good plot idea and the creation Crimson Street.
The blurb made me want to read the book because it said that it would be similar to “Captive Prince” by C. S. Pacat and I obsessed over that series. So, I had great expectations for “The Prince and the Thief” which in fortunately weren’t met at all.
Though, the plot is still quite good and when the story-telling would have been better I am sure the book could have good potential. We have a fantasy world with magic, kings, princes, revolutionaries and – the most original part for me – Crimson Street, a city quarter which alters its layout every few hours/minutes. And we have Aidan (Prince to the kingdom) and Will (a jewel thief) who come together and form an unlikely pact. Unfortunately for me, the characters stay quite flat and inconsistent mainly because there is so much inconsistency in how they feel, what they think and what they believe. It sometimes even led me to going back a few pages to reread several scenes in order to check whether I missed something – I hadn’t.
There are also highly illogical things happening (e.g. the revolutionary clubs are exclusive and secret, but it’s alright to talk to a complete stranger about the revolution and treasonous actions), things that led to the question of WHY (e.g. Why is there a segregated, forbidden area of the library that holds mainly erotic literature? And why does Aidan plainly accept it without question when a stranger tells him for the first time in his 17 or 18 years old life that his father massacred an entire dynasty in order to become king?. What also bothers me is that all the discovery of secrets and plots in the book happens too coincidental; Will and Aidan seem to always be at the right place at the right time – that kills all the excitement and is far too easy for a good deep fantasy story.
Also there are wrong names (Aidan is called Will in a scene where Will isn’t present), wrong time frames and Aidan tends to be 18 at the beginning of the book but is 17 later - that's something I can't really forgive for a published story having been read by an editor before that. Additionally, the style of writing (for me) was repetitive and stagnant which in the end led to the 1.5 stars rating for the good plot idea and the creation Crimson Street.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2021
I want to first thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to read The Prince and the Thief by P.S. Scott before its publication. Even though I am thankful for their kindness, I did not let it influence my evaluation of this book.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. It was definitely something new and different. The basic story centers on a kingdom where only the rich and powerful have access to magic. In this world, there is a boy who has access to magic who is a thief and lives with a family of thieves. Although he has magic, he has to keep it hidden from others for fear that his secret would be let out and he would be put to death.
During the committal of an act of thievery, he is caught by one of the princes who happens to be being blackmailed by his uncle for a gay tryst he'd had with someone at court. Sadly, this is a world where sexuality isn't as big a deal among the commoners, but royalty must wed and continue the royal line. Sigh... I get the inclusion of this trope, but honestly, it didn't necessarily add anything huge to the overall story. If anything, it created a bit of an awkward side story. I just wish the author had been a bit more creative on this front.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. It's a fun and fast read (only 54,000 words), but it does end a bit abruptly opening the book up for a sequel. I'm all for sequels, but this book just feels a bit unfinished to me at this point. I look forward to seeing how this saga plays out in the sequel.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. It was definitely something new and different. The basic story centers on a kingdom where only the rich and powerful have access to magic. In this world, there is a boy who has access to magic who is a thief and lives with a family of thieves. Although he has magic, he has to keep it hidden from others for fear that his secret would be let out and he would be put to death.
During the committal of an act of thievery, he is caught by one of the princes who happens to be being blackmailed by his uncle for a gay tryst he'd had with someone at court. Sadly, this is a world where sexuality isn't as big a deal among the commoners, but royalty must wed and continue the royal line. Sigh... I get the inclusion of this trope, but honestly, it didn't necessarily add anything huge to the overall story. If anything, it created a bit of an awkward side story. I just wish the author had been a bit more creative on this front.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. It's a fun and fast read (only 54,000 words), but it does end a bit abruptly opening the book up for a sequel. I'm all for sequels, but this book just feels a bit unfinished to me at this point. I look forward to seeing how this saga plays out in the sequel.
January 2, 2021
Will is a jewel thief who just wants to be rich. He is also in possession of magical powers, a privilege only held by the aristocracy. Aidan is the second prince of Ambrosia who dreams of a world where the people are not so beat down & poor, which is why he has taken to haunting the underbelly of the city, to hear what the revolutionaries have to say. After Will steals the prince’s ruby bracelet, the prince makes a deal with him. The prince’s evil uncle has incriminating love letters that the prince needs back, so who better than Will? Meanwhile, unrest continues to build in the city.
So this book has an interesting premise, and the author has introduced some cool ideas about the magic system into the plot. But it pretty much stopped there. There are so many things that are just not fleshed out very well; it’s almost like reading the outline to the book rather than the book itself. In addition, the book doesn’t really flow very well. The author keeps jumping from here to there to somewhere else, and some things just seem to be introduced for no real reason at all. I hope that the second book in the series is better thought out, and answers all of the questions that this book brought up.
Thank you to NetGalley & Xpresso Book Tours for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
So this book has an interesting premise, and the author has introduced some cool ideas about the magic system into the plot. But it pretty much stopped there. There are so many things that are just not fleshed out very well; it’s almost like reading the outline to the book rather than the book itself. In addition, the book doesn’t really flow very well. The author keeps jumping from here to there to somewhere else, and some things just seem to be introduced for no real reason at all. I hope that the second book in the series is better thought out, and answers all of the questions that this book brought up.
Thank you to NetGalley & Xpresso Book Tours for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 8, 2021
This book wasn’t perfect, and here’s and a couple points as to why;
1) I felt as if it was meant to be a fast- paced read, but there was just too many lulls in the storyline.
2) I liked both of the main characters, Will and Aiden. The author made you feel as if they had a really intense, electric and forbidden love forming, but I wanted more romance elements in the story.
Things I liked;
1) The story itself was easy to follow and hinted at some darker elements and themes. The magic system obviously had to be established but it didn’t feel as if the whole premise took up too much reading time.
2) The mystery and big reveal of the book is a little predictable, however, it is a interesting concept that will be explored more in the next book.
I think that all of the points I’ve made kind of adds up to me enjoying the story itself, but I think the author sacrificed a few things that would have made the book gain the extra 1-2 stars. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which leads to a sequel, but I believe this book would have been better off continuing further into the story.
All in all, even though this story wasn’t one of my favourite,I do want to continue reading Will’s and Aiden’s story.
I received a copy of the ARC of The Prince and the Thief thanks to L.E. Wilson and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
1) I felt as if it was meant to be a fast- paced read, but there was just too many lulls in the storyline.
2) I liked both of the main characters, Will and Aiden. The author made you feel as if they had a really intense, electric and forbidden love forming, but I wanted more romance elements in the story.
Things I liked;
1) The story itself was easy to follow and hinted at some darker elements and themes. The magic system obviously had to be established but it didn’t feel as if the whole premise took up too much reading time.
2) The mystery and big reveal of the book is a little predictable, however, it is a interesting concept that will be explored more in the next book.
I think that all of the points I’ve made kind of adds up to me enjoying the story itself, but I think the author sacrificed a few things that would have made the book gain the extra 1-2 stars. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which leads to a sequel, but I believe this book would have been better off continuing further into the story.
All in all, even though this story wasn’t one of my favourite,I do want to continue reading Will’s and Aiden’s story.
I received a copy of the ARC of The Prince and the Thief thanks to L.E. Wilson and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
December 21, 2022
This book was sent to me by VoraciousReadersOnly.
This book follows Will, who is a thief, and by definition steals things for people with the help of his family. He is hired by Aidan, the prince to retrieve some letters that his Uncle took from him to blackmail him into doing his bidding.
Now this book was good I have to say. It was very quick and easy to read, very short (126 pages on ePub). However that was sort of the problem. Despite the fact I love a good short book this book could have done with being a bit longer. (Yes I am aware the sequel exists thats not what I’m getting at). I’d have loved to have more depth into the characters and the world. I read a lot of fantasy and well developed characters and world building is what makes a book a 5 star read in my personal opinion. (Seriously I love me some world building). This book just didn’t have enough of that which upset me because it had so much potential because I loved the concept.
Despite that I loved Will and Aidan and the supporting characters. The characters are the most important part of the story for me, so I’d have liked more development with them.
If your not too fussed about world building and the things I stated I wasn’t a fan of then this is the book for you. Because I really did enjoy it. It’s really interesting and really sweet so yeah.
3⭐️
This book follows Will, who is a thief, and by definition steals things for people with the help of his family. He is hired by Aidan, the prince to retrieve some letters that his Uncle took from him to blackmail him into doing his bidding.
Now this book was good I have to say. It was very quick and easy to read, very short (126 pages on ePub). However that was sort of the problem. Despite the fact I love a good short book this book could have done with being a bit longer. (Yes I am aware the sequel exists thats not what I’m getting at). I’d have loved to have more depth into the characters and the world. I read a lot of fantasy and well developed characters and world building is what makes a book a 5 star read in my personal opinion. (Seriously I love me some world building). This book just didn’t have enough of that which upset me because it had so much potential because I loved the concept.
Despite that I loved Will and Aidan and the supporting characters. The characters are the most important part of the story for me, so I’d have liked more development with them.
If your not too fussed about world building and the things I stated I wasn’t a fan of then this is the book for you. Because I really did enjoy it. It’s really interesting and really sweet so yeah.
3⭐️
December 27, 2020
Before I begin my review for The Prince and the Theif P.S Scott, I would personally like to thank the author, publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and I have reviewed it honestly.
A brazen theif with forbidden powers, a prince who loves the wrong sex, a game of blackmail, secrets and stolen identities and a street that rearranges itself every 15 minutes. The Prince and The Theif is an imaginative introduction to a new series of royalty and magic.
The Prince and the Theif features, but is not limited to, the following themes:
○ YA fantasy
○ Royals and Poverty
○ LGBTQ
○ Light gay romance
○ Theives
○ Blackmail
○ Magic
My overall rating for The Prince and the Theif is…
4 Stars!
This book had me in the first couple of pages when the street began to move! How unique and exciting! This book gave me strong False Prince vibes with hints of Throne of Glass and Six of Crows! I havent read a lot of books with LGBTQ characters as mains and I really enjoyed our leading young men and their character developments. Scott has created an exciting tale, yes its a little cliche, but it also had unsuspecting qualities that really drew me in. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the book.
January 9, 2021
Will is a thief whose current assignment is to steal a mysterious ring from the royal palace of Ambrosia. All he wants is to live a life of luxury, while keeping his illegitimate birth a secret. The son of an unknown noble, he has the ability to use water magic, something only the gentry possess. Then one might he meets Aiden. Aiden is a prince ill at ease, engaged to a girl he can’t love while his power-hungry uncle blackmails him with letters to his former lover that may reveal the secret that he is gay. After a chance meeting, Aiden hires Will to steal back the letters and as they grown closer, they begin to fall for one another, creating a dangerous alliance. In the background, revolution stirs in the city and whispers of a lost prince entangle the two boys in a web bigger than either of them could have guessed.
This book is mostly supported by the well-rounded characters as well as the budding romance between Will and Aiden. The subplot of revolution and Will’s mysterious past keep the action fresh and propel the plot forward at a good pace. The magic system and politics, while intriguing, are only briefly explained and could have been more developed for a richer world-building. The editing needs work as well to fix several inconsistencies (the princess’s eyes turn from blue to green, the season changes from summer to spring and back again, cycle of the moon also changes). Overall, it was a quick read with a slow-burn romance, a dusting of magic, and a side of political intrigue that ends with a cliffhanger for the next book.
This book is mostly supported by the well-rounded characters as well as the budding romance between Will and Aiden. The subplot of revolution and Will’s mysterious past keep the action fresh and propel the plot forward at a good pace. The magic system and politics, while intriguing, are only briefly explained and could have been more developed for a richer world-building. The editing needs work as well to fix several inconsistencies (the princess’s eyes turn from blue to green, the season changes from summer to spring and back again, cycle of the moon also changes). Overall, it was a quick read with a slow-burn romance, a dusting of magic, and a side of political intrigue that ends with a cliffhanger for the next book.
July 1, 2022
I'm kind of annoyed! Why! Oh Why did I start this series before checking the release date? I just wanted give Aidan a big hug and to kill his uncle in the most painful way possible. I really loved how Will had flaws, it made him more relatable.
Also, the part when Aidan's brother helped him get into the library 3 Period that was so hilarius. Inocent Aidan didn't even understand what his brother meant... LOL! And then when he caught Aidan crying... HAHAHAHAHAHA! I did wish that the romance was a little slower since Aidan... well was hurt. Susana was such a sweetheart and I love that they became friends at the end.
And Will... he really grew a lot in this book. I'm really not sure what to rate this book since I started this book months ago, and only finished it today. It's not that I couldn't get thrugh it, because I actually read up to chapter 15 and finishd the last 3 today. It's just that I was busy. I'm rating it for now at a 3.5, and to be honest this book reminded me a bit like another book. I hope Susana is more important to the series as it goes on.
Also, the part when Aidan's brother helped him get into the library 3 Period that was so hilarius. Inocent Aidan didn't even understand what his brother meant... LOL! And then when he caught Aidan crying... HAHAHAHAHAHA! I did wish that the romance was a little slower since Aidan... well was hurt. Susana was such a sweetheart and I love that they became friends at the end.
And Will... he really grew a lot in this book. I'm really not sure what to rate this book since I started this book months ago, and only finished it today. It's not that I couldn't get thrugh it, because I actually read up to chapter 15 and finishd the last 3 today. It's just that I was busy. I'm rating it for now at a 3.5, and to be honest this book reminded me a bit like another book. I hope Susana is more important to the series as it goes on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2023
Sometimes the things that keep us safe are the reason we can't grow.
i don't know why, but i thought i would like this book more than i did. i don't know if it's because of the style or the actual story, but i somehow expected more than what got delivered. it was very easy for me to foresee some twists in the plot.
i would've loved a more detailed construction of the world and of the magic system. plus, i think both Will and Aidan fell for each other way more quickly than i expected them to (but maybe that's just me and my passion for slow burns speaking). i guess given the boys' statuses i would've expected them to take their sweet sweet time. which, given, they did but still, it felt like they fell almost too easily for each other.
still, i am curious to see where this story goes. i hope to see way more of princess Suzannah in the second part of this story, since something tells me she's quite the badass.
i'm unsure if i would recommend this story or not as of yet, i guess it depends on how good the next volume is.
i don't know why, but i thought i would like this book more than i did. i don't know if it's because of the style or the actual story, but i somehow expected more than what got delivered. it was very easy for me to foresee some twists in the plot.
i would've loved a more detailed construction of the world and of the magic system. plus, i think both Will and Aidan fell for each other way more quickly than i expected them to (but maybe that's just me and my passion for slow burns speaking). i guess given the boys' statuses i would've expected them to take their sweet sweet time. which, given, they did but still, it felt like they fell almost too easily for each other.
still, i am curious to see where this story goes. i hope to see way more of princess Suzannah in the second part of this story, since something tells me she's quite the badass.
i'm unsure if i would recommend this story or not as of yet, i guess it depends on how good the next volume is.
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