Intisar Khanani

"A beautifully written fantastical page-turner." - Kirkus
It's no secret that children have been disappearing from across the kingdom for decades, vanishing so completely even mages can't trace them. But when tradegy strikes Rae's small town, she is shocked that more isn't being done to stop the snatchers. Determined to find answers, Rae joins her cousin at the royal court, risking ridicule for her country upbringing and clubfoot.
However, she finds an unexpected ally in the crown prince's new foreign bride. Princess Alyrra. With the princess's support, she plunges into a dangerous investigation that reaches from the dark city streets to the palace tax offices to the Circle of Mages. But the secrets Rae uncovers not only gravely endanger herself, they strike at the very heart of the kingdom itself.
Praise for THORN: "A quietly profound and beautiful fairytale retelling that I'll be recommending for years." - S. A. Chakraborty, author of City of Brass 'Well-written and dramatically told, teens will find much to love in a novel in which the princess grows to become a force to be reckoned with." -School Library Journal (starred review) "Immersive and captivating...[will] draw in fans of fantasy and slow-burn romance." - Kirkus Reviews

The Theft of Sunlight

nuha ✨️

Selin Igten

Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Sorcery of Thorns, this exhilarating, page-turning fantasy will pull readers into a lush and stunning world where nothing—and no one—can be trusted. I did not choose this fate. But I will not walk away from it. Children have been disappearing from across Menaiya for longer than Amraeya ni Ansarim can remember. When her friend’s sister is snatched, Rae knows she can’t look away any longer—even if that means seeking answers from the royal court, where her country upbringing and clubfoot will only invite ridicule. Yet the court holds its share of surprises. There she discovers an ally in the foreign princess, who recruits her as an attendant. Armed with the princess’s support, Rae seeks answers in the dark city streets, finding unexpected help in a rough-around-the-edges street thief with secrets of his own. But treachery runs deep, and the more Rae uncovers, the more she endangers the kingdom itself. Praise for Intisar Khanani’s Thorn: “Set in a dark and dangerous world. Well-written and dramatically told, teens will find much to love in a novel in which the princess grows to become a force to be reckoned with.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Khanani beautifully crafts Alyrra’s quiet but clear journey of self-definition." —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

Stephanie Ridiculous

Alli King

If you enjoy fantasy, this is a must read. 
From the very beginning Rae is just a wonderful protagonist- prickly but lovable, and capable of realizing when she’s gone too far. This book takes on hard issues, both human trafficking and power dynamics that allow such things to continue. 

I couldn’t stop reading this book, and now that I’ve finished... I can’t stop thinking about it! It’s definitely one of my favorites of this year. Please go buy it so we can get book 2, because this cliffhanger is going to cause me continued distress! 😆

Samantha Bass

You can read the full review on my blog, We Write at Dawn!

The Theft of Sunlight is the spin-off sequel of Thorn and while you don't have to read Thorn to enjoy this book, it's definitely recommended! If you haven't read Thorn, feel free to check out my spoiler-free review here!

Jumping in, this book picks up right where we left off with Alyrra, who has regained her rightful place as princess and the future queen. Rae, the daughter of a horse-breeder, lives out in the country with her family and their biggest secret: her sister, Niya, has magic. All children with magical abilities are to be reported to the Circle, a council of mages, to be trained and owned by the kingdom, but Niya remains at home. At the same time, children are being snatched from families and while some are recovered, their memories have been wiped and there are no leads as to who is kidnapping and selling children. 

After her friends younger sister has been kidnapped, Rae is asked by her cousin, Ramella, and her husband, Filadon, to join them at court for the wedding season. Rae accepts with a mission to find her friend's sister and our journey begins!

I adore this series, I adore this world, I adore everything about these books. They are just so well written and I love how intricate and complex the storylines are. One big problem I have with books is that I easily forget everything that happens in them, so reading sequels is very difficult for me at times. But with this book, we are given a great rundown of the original story of Thorn, told what is currently going on, and seamlessly brought back into this magical world. 

Rae is a great contrast to Alyrra too, which makes their scenes and interactions that much more fun. Alyrra tends to be calm, thinks rationally, and while tough as nails, tends to utilize her brain and words more than her fists. Meanwhile, Rae is just as tough, but she's happy to learn how to fight if it means she has the freedom she's accustomed to. She's much more outspoken than Alyrra and doesn't sit on the sidelines waiting for things to happen, she's a woman of action. 

And when it comes to locating the missing children, Rae is already on it. I honestly loved this plot point as it was briefly mentioned in the first book, but we weren't given a lot of details, but as we move along in this book, we get to find out more and more of what's going on. The mystery of these disappearances and who gains to benefit from them honestly kept me guessing. And while I had some suspicions of what was going on, I genuinely did not expect what was going on. I'm so ready for book 2! 

I cannot recommend this series enough - if you like magical retellings, beautiful writing, realistic and relatable characters, disability representation, and a fun magical mystery, then you need to pick up these books. I am so in love with them if I could, I would purchase everyone a copy! But alas, I will be buying copies for myself and enjoying these gorgeous books. I'm tempted to re-read them already.