Thief of Hearts: Wanted

D.L. Snow

Despoiled before her wedding night, Zaina is on a quest for revenge. It all seems pretty simple really – trace her steps homeward and kill the horrible cad. Nothing is as it seems though, and nothing will make it easy for her to achieve her goals.

This novel was very short, and ended on a cliffhanger as far as I’m concerned. Apparently this is quite common of free Amazon books, as the authors are trying to sucker you in to buy the other books.

Even the first chapter is a cliffhanger! Definetly drew me into the story – I thought it was going to be a bit like some of the other genres I love, but turned out to be something entirely different. This book naturally appealed to me because I like novels that include a strong female protagonist. The crossdressing was awesome, and in tune with the rest of the world building. Reminds me a bit of Tallow in a way actually, particularly with the later sex scene.

The perspective changed between Hood and Little John were seamless. It was an easy read, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. After all the heavy reading and reviewing I have been doing for the tour companies I am part of, it was a relief to read something simple and unassuming, yet with enoughtplot points to keep me interested.

The dragons in this are evil. Well, we think they’re evil. But we don’t really know. Surely Cahill is a cad? But then, it looks like it might not be. A novel filled with healthy uncertainty and things not being as they appear. I think this concept is executed really well, and the language is lovely.

I should mention that this novel does have a bit of a queer theme, and it is portrayed in a positive light. For me, that’s a bonus, for others it might be detrimental (though it really shouldn’t be – homosexuality is not a crime).

It’s a bit of a mix of fairytale traditions really, especially when I consider the other books in the series (which I don’t own, but would consider buying if on special). Hood and his sheriff, and what they do, is definetly based on the tale of Robin Hood. It’s also mixed with Snow White, except it’s a whole town of dwarves, not just a couple. I liked it because it’s an adult rendition of all those other fairytale stories that have been going on at the moment in the YA area.

Although I was considering this book as suitable for adults and teenagers, it does contain some explicit sex scenes later in the novel that would make it only suitable for adults and mature teens.