Book Review: Thief Of Hope by Cindy Young-Turner

eBook
Release date: May 16, 2011
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Series: Kingdom of Thanumor #1
Author: Cindy Young-Turner
A HUGE thank you to the author for providing this book for review!

Sydney, a street urchin and pickpocket in the town of Last Hope, has managed to evade the oppressive Guild for years, but there is no escaping fate when she's sentenced to death for associating with the resistance.  After she's rescued by a wizard, Sydney is forced to accept that magic--long outlawed throughout the Kingdom of Thanumor--still exists, and the Tuatha, a powerful faery folk, are much more than ancient myth and legend. When the wizard offers a chance to fight the Guild and bring Willem, bastard prince and champion of the Tuatha, to the throne, Sydney embraces the cause as a way to find her own redemption. But Sydney's fear of the Guild, distrust of authority, and surprising connection to the Tuatha threaten Willem's success.  Can she untangle the strange threads that entwine her life not only to the fate of the kingdom, but also to Willem himself?

You know, I get so excited when I get to write a good review for a debut author! And this one right here? This is going to be a GOOD review! ;)

Thief of Hope is the first book in a series about our main character, Sydney, our champion, Prince Willem, and the Fae folk, the Tuatha.

This is the part where I geek out a bit and tell you that I LOVE anything to do with the Tuatha. You see, in two MMO's I've played (one I currently play!), my main character has been Irish and has had Fae blood.
The Tuatha de Danann are a big part of Irish folklore, so I was very excited to see Ms. Young-Turner using them in her book!

In many ways, this book reminded me of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series--although it's pretty much COMPLETELY different.
It was mostly Sydney--a tough street urchin with a mysterious past-- who reminded me of Vin!
Sydney is a wonderful character. I loved her so much! She's just so REAL, y'know? It's refreshing to read a fantasy novel where the main female character isn't a Mary Sue!

Willem is very swoon-worthy, with his blonde locks and understanding ways. Oh, it was hard to read some scenes where Sydney realizes that she.....Ack! Spoilers! ;)

But one of my favourite characters was easily Oryn. He's SO Gandalf-like, with his disappearances and cryptic speech!

Thief of Hope is NOT written like a typical debut novel. The world is written perfectly, the scenery is beautiful, the characters are vivid and fresh, and the battle scenes had me holding my breath with anticipation and worry!

I can't WAIT to read the second book in the series, and I truly hope we learn more about the Shadow Folk,  and the Tuatha as the series progresses!

I highly recommend Thief of Hope to all adult fantasy-lovers! It's SO GOOD!