
The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe
Sometimes I don't get myself. It's been years since I've enjoyed an actual romance novel and to be perfectly frank, I wasn't expecting to enjoy The Smoke Thief.
Joke's on me there, I guess. Shana Abe's writing is so light and airy that reading it is, if you'll excuse the pun, a breeze. It just floats by without effort, easy and evocative (and occasionally slightly purple, especially during love scenes, but no one is perfect and I don't expect them to be). It's easy to sink into, to just let the book sweep you away, and that makes it all the easier to enjoy.
Though it's been a long time since I've cared for romance stories too much, especially the characters, I found that I liked Rue. The premise of a woman like that becoming a master thief in the way she does is utterly charming, teaming up with courtesans and thieves. She's a s... Read More