Review – Thieving Shadows by Jessica Piro
Synopsis
Surviving in Rookfall depends on rank or thievery, and no one can be trusted.
Genevieve is a master thief: one of the renowned Shadows, instilling fear into the elites. One night, an easy job to steal an automaton ends in confusion.
Waking three years later in the presence of Matthew Tilcott, a lesser, in a city turned unfamiliar, she sets out to discover what happened that night and why she can see things others can’t. As she searches for answers, she unearths a conspiracy to find and use the powerful Star. When Genevieve learns of why the elites and the lessers seek it and its corruptive nature, she determines no one should wield such power. It should be destroyed. But to do so, she must eliminate the last personal connection to her old life.
Will she help this corrupt city and start a new life with Matthew, or only look out for herself?
If you like a strong female lead, Gaslamp adventure, and the Victorian era, you’ll love this steampunk mystery thriller standalone novel.
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Review
I don’t usually read many steampunk novels, but this one knocked my socks off! I loved the action, the characters, and everything about the book.
This is a story of two classes – the elite and the lessers. The elite like to take their frustrations out on the lessers, even when they have done nothing wrong. They live in fear of the elite, but perhaps the elite fear that they will band together and rise up to overthrow what they have.
The story focuses on Genevieve and Matthew. Genevieve is a master thief and part of the Shadows. Something happened three years ago, and she is back trying to figure out what happened then, what happened to her partner, and what can be done to save the world. Matthew is a lesser working in a cobbler’s shop, but he has a heart of gold and wants to help everyone out. However, after a particular event, he must change his path and work to become a thief and a Shadow.
This novel is action-packed from start to finish. I kept wondering what would happen next, what the Star they were trying to find looked like, and how nimble Genevieve and Matthew were when stealing from the elite. There is also an attraction between Genevieve and Matthew. It takes most of the book for the truth to come out, but this only adds to the story’s tension.
I enjoyed the various inventions and technologies that helped move the story forward. The interactions among the characters give us something to think about, as not all of their actions are honorable. It might also cause you to stop and think about how you might react in the same situation.
This is a book that shouldn’t be missed, and we give it 5 paws up.
About the Author
Jessica is an author in a wheelchair and has Type 1 Diabetes. Her multi-genre works cater to YA, NA, and Adults, and can be found on Wattpad and Amazon.
She lives in Northeast Louisiana and lives with her mom, dad, two brothers, and a three-legged cat named Daisy.
