Thief in the Castle

Stars and Bones

Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
302 Pages
Reviewed on 02/04/2020
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Thief in the Castle by B.B. Morgan is the first book in the Stars and Bones series. Juniper Thimble is about to pull off the greatest theft she’s ever done by breaking into the king’s castle to steal the crown. Her plans are derailed when she’s caught and later awakens in the dungeon with an offer she can’t refuse. The king has his mage bind her to Prince Adrian and puts her in the position of being his royal protector in the disguise of Lady Rosalyn, the prince’s lover. As she’s kept under the watchful eye of Squire Sandpiper, Juniper must find a way to save the prince and stop a series of demon attacks. When servants go missing and the attacks become more dangerous, she searches for a threat inside the castle and navigates the growing sparks she has with the squire.

B.B. Morgan weaves an exciting adventure that’s filled with romance, danger, suspense, and magic. Juniper has lived under the control of Maddox who bought her as a child and turned her into a master thief. Everything changes for her when she’s captured inside the castle and given the choice of dying or becoming the prince’s personal protector. This decision throws her into a whole new life away from thievery and into the royal world with fancy gowns and balls. The story delivers moments of action and suspense as Juniper works to maintain her cover while a secret threatens to be brought to light as the demons keep attacking the castle. Sandpiper and Juniper share a fun spark as Morgan blends humor and romance in their relationship which gives a lightness that balances against the darker elements of the story. Thief in the Castle is a tale of romance and magic woven with action and suspense that hits upon the themes of identity and self-discovery.

K.C. Finn

Thief in the Castle is a work of fantasy fiction penned for young adults by author B. B. Morgan as the opener to the Stars and Bones series. Written for mature young adults due to the violence, language and some sexual content, this exciting and dynamic adventure centers on Juniper Thimble, a thief who is condemned to die. The young Juniper has only one way out, and it’s to pull off the biggest fraud she can. Posing as a lover for the crowned Prince Adrian, she must find out who is trying to kill him and get to them first, thus saving his life and hers in the process.

An emotional journey with high stakes action, a little romance and plenty of highs and lows, author B. B. Morgan crams every second of drama in that a YA fan could possibly wish for. Juniper and Adrian take center stage with plenty of quarrels, faux pas and heaps of responsibilities put upon them, but they are also very keenly developed into realistic young people who feel the pressure of the brutal world in which they must operate. The action scenes were some of my favorite moments, as Morgan gives a visceral description which certainly earns the book its mature YA rating, but it’s also a physical and powerful reading experience for us to enjoy. As a series opener, it holds much promise for future books and the continuation of the tale, and overall I would highly recommend Thief in the Castle for fantasy fans, YA and adult alike.

K T Bowes

Thief in the Castle: Stars and Bones by B. B. Morgan is a real treat for anyone who loves storylines containing restorative elements. Clearly heading for a series, it has lots to get any reader addicted. The author has crafted the character of Juniper with skill and compassion. She’s not just a victim of circumstance, but also of her own choices. She didn’t start life as a thief, but a willful and determined personality constantly leads her off the beaten track and into challenges that give her something to prove. In her professional life, she loves the thrill of the inaccessible. In her private life, she’s terrified of emotional pain.

This novel has all the elements of a fairy tale; a castle, a king, a handsome prince along with a healthy dose of magic. But there the resemblance ends. It’s much grittier than the concept of rags to riches and Juniper is absolutely plausible. The reader will love her enough to follow wherever she leads and when she makes her big reveal, they won’t have seen it coming. At several points in the story, I had my suspicions about where the trouble was really coming from. Just a whisper here and there to make me doubt particular characters. It was enough to keep me turning the pages and wanting to leap to the next piece of well-written drama. I can wholeheartedly recommend Thief in the Castle (Stars and Bones). B. B. Morgan is an expert tale spinner. I forecast that this series will be in hot demand. Watch for the ending because the punches just keep on coming.