About the Book:

Title: Theft of Sunlight 

Author: Intisar Khanani 

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: March 23, 2021

Pages: 528

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

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. 

Review:

After reading Thorn, I was very excited to start Theft of Sunlight. Theft is a fast paced fantasy that is a spin-off of Thorn, and it did not disappoint. I loved how this book had such a strong, badass heroine with a disability. We definitely need more of that in YA! I also appreciated how the author tackled the very real, and very serious issue of human trafficking.

Children have been disappearing across Menaiya for longer than Rae can remember. When her best friend’s sister disappears without a trace, Rae knows that she can not sit around and ignore the problem any longer. They believe the little girl has been taken by the “snatchers.” Rae decides to take her cousin’s offer to come and stay at the palace, where she hopes to find some answers from the royal court. She also hopes that she will be taken seriously due to her growing up in the country, and her club foot.

The court holds its own intrigue. Rae finds an ally in the foreign princess, who appoints her as an attendant. With the princesses blessing, Rae takes to the streets outside of the palace to find some answers. Here she finds some unexpected help from a street thief. As Rae begins to uncover more information, things become much more complicated and dangerous. Throughout the journey, Rae faces a lot of challenges, but she does not let what anyone thinks of her or her disability stop her. She slowly begins the process of loving herself.

Perfect for fantasy lovers, this one has an ending that will leave you breathless and dying for the sequel!

About the Author:

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and two young daughters. Prior to publishing her novels, Intisar worked as a public health consultant on projects relating to infant mortality and minority health, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy.

Intisar’s current projects include the re-release of her debut, Thorn, from HarperTeen (2020) and her indie epic fantasy series, The Sunbolt Chronicles.

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