When Zoey gets offered a million dollars to steal an arcane artifact, she hastily accepts before realizing she's made a deal with a demon that could land her in Hell for eternity. As if that weren't enough for Zoey and her supernatural team, the confusion caused by Zoey's remaining feelings for her vampire ex and the growing feelings she has for the faery prince she meets threatens to tear Zoey apart--that is, if the demons, were-animal attacks, and hexes don't do it first.
Review:
This book was laugh-out-loud hilarious! But it was also emotional with a heart-wrenching love triangle. And it had an intense plot. And three-dimensional characters. And sexy but also meaningful romance. And vampires. And a faery—
In other words, it just had everything.
I just love this series. It has become a total comfort read for me. And since I’ve read it multiple times now, I’ve decided to update my reviews, and I’m not even gonna try to contain my affection.
First of all, this series has ruined me for all other books because it has more heart-wrenching emotion AND more laugh-out-loud humor than anything I’ve ever read, and I’m still waiting for another series that makes me feel as deeply or clutch my stomach in pain from all the laughter as much as this one has. Especially the first time I read this first book, I was devastated, I was tense, I was worried, I was amused, I was swooning, I was feeling.
Speaking of feeling, I really love this love triangle because the best ones are the heart-wrenching ones, and WOW does the relationship between Zoey and Daniel nail that. And let me tell you, what is between Zoey and Daniel is most definitely, without a doubt, LOVE. They grew up together and know everything about each other and have so many memories together and have always been there for each other (that is, until Daniel started pulling away due to vampire reasons). I swoon every time at the way they appreciate everything about each other and their relationship, flaws and all. #RelationshipGoals I know Dev is also in that triangle somewhere, but I was too busy being on Team Daniel the first time I read this book to notice 😉 Ok, ok, Daniel is totally the stereotypical tormented, brooding character who thinks he’s a monster but doesn’t want the woman he loves to see him that way, but he’s more than just that. He also brings all the vampire-y goodness, and I sure do love me some vampire-y goodness!
And speaking of the characters, I have rarely been so invested in characters as I was (and still am) in these. I kid you not, I once emailed the author to fangirl and ask her… a really strange question about how two of the characters’ relationships progressed after the series ended because I still cared about them and still wanted to know things about their lives. (Ok, fine, if you must know, I asked her if they’re sleeping together now, which honestly isn’t as inappropriate of a question as it sounds if you’ve read the series. She was super nice in her reply, by the way! And yes, they are sleeping together, in case you were wondering.) But these characters, they’re just so complex and developed and flawed-yet-lovable—and I do mean legitimately flawed. The things they do are not black-and-white, so sometimes you don’t know if you should trust them, and sometimes you’re disappointed in them, and sometimes you want to slap them, but in the end you love them anyway for the good qualities they have. And they have such dynamic and complex friend/family/romantic relationships with each other. Plus, the interactions between them are pretty much the best thing ever because that’s where so much of the hilarity and emotion comes from.
And not only that, each book also a fantastic, action-packed plot, always involving some sort of heist, along with all sorts of supernatural fun, plus there’s an overarching plot for the entire series that is really well thought-out and gets more complex as the series goes on.
BUT I will admit these books are not perfect. They have some things that are a little too romance trope-y for me. There are a lot of sex scenes, and they’re not to my taste. Zoey thought to herself at one point that she was willing to be the men’s sex toy, and that’s pretty much what those scenes are like (albeit a sex toy they give like 27 orgasms to). The men are pretty controlling and alpha, even though it’s all consensual. There’s some kink, like public sex rituals and mild BDSM. The characters also seem to solve all their relationship problems in bed and are very preoccupied by sex. There are also some slight problematic things, like Zoey’s “not like other girls” moments.
Now you’re probably thinking, “Well, Kristen, that sounds like a lot of things you didn’t like. Are you sure you love this series as much as you say you do?” And the answer to that is, yes, I’m sure. Everything I love about these books completely outweighs the things I don’t. These books make me feel. Plus, many of my issues are personal taste things, and some of them were things I didn’t even notice until reading the books multiple times because, on the first few reads, I was just 100% absorbed in the story.
I realize that this was more of a series review than a review for Steal the Light (and more of a love letter than a review), but hey, at least now you don’t have to worry that the series will go downhill 😉 And I will say that this first book, just like all the rest of the books, was the perfect mix of humor, action, intensity, angst, emotion, romance, and badassery!
*I’ve read this book multiple times. This review was written after my 3rd read.*
Reread Ratings:
4.5 Stars (1st Read – 2015)
4.5 Stars (2nd Read – 2016)
4.5 Stars (3rd Read – 2017)
4.5 Stars (4th Read – 2018)
4.5 Stars (5th Read – 2019)
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes laugh-out-loud hilarity, heart-wrenching emotion, complex and flawed but still lovable characters, action, heists, sex, supernatural creatures (especially vampires), and lots of adorable relationships of all kinds.
More Books in the Series:
Book Review: Steal the Light (Thieves Book 1) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Steal the Day (Thieves Book 2) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Steal the Moon (Thieves Book 3) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Steal the Sun (Thieves Book 4) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Steal the Night (Thieves Book 5) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Ripper (Hunter: A Thieves Series Book 1) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Addict (Hunter: A Thieves Series Book 2) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Sleeper (Hunter: A Thieves Series Book 3) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Outcast (Hunter: A Thieves Series Book 4) by Lexi Blake
Book Review: Stealing Summer (Hunter: A Thieves Series Book 5) by Lexi Blake
Reading this synopsis, I wouldn’t think “hilarious,” but I’m happy you had so many laugh out loud moments. I’ve been thinking that I’ve been reading too many serious books (especially YA).
Kristen you’re reminding me of why I miss urban fantasy. Gut-wrenching romances, hot sex, and great characterization, and ALL of the supernatural creatures.
I’m sold.
Does this exist as an audiobook? I hope it does! *runs off to amazon*
I didn’t expect it to be so hilarious either! If I had, I might not have read it because I would have figured it’d be too chick lit-y with no depth, but nope, it’s got hilarity and depth. Did you find it in audiobook? You’ll have to let me know if you like it 🙂
“this series has ruined me for all other books because it has more heart-wrenching emotion AND more laugh-out-loud humor than anything I’ve ever read” and the fact that you usually don’t read PNR…. WOW only that makes me want to read it right away!!! Because how many books have you read??? LOTSA books! I can see why with the realistic and flawed characters and the family/friendship dynamics. That’s usually a winning combination 🙂 The cast of supernaturals [especially fae! you know I’m very suspicious of those :)] make me hesitate because I’m not sure I’m ready yet, but I WANT to go back to fantasy SO BADLY. And I realized that the lack of “depth” you often find in fantasy characters is what had steer me towards contemporary this year. So this one sounds like a good one to try!
MY GIRL. You are the only one so far giving my review the kind of comment it deserves considering it’s like the most fangirliest review I’ve ever written lol. When you do feel like getting back to fantasy, clearly I recommend this series. It does have some of those PNR tropes, but gah, I don’t even care!
Ahhh comfort reads….
For What It’s Worth
I never even had a comfort read before this series lol.
I have never read Lexi Blake. This book sounds pretty good to me though. I like that you re-read it and adjusted your review. Sometimes book troupes aren’t a bad thing. It’s all in the delivery. Seems like this was done just right. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
It is so good! To be honest even my original review was 4.5 stars and raved a lot, but I felt like it didn’t have enough fangirling detail about all the amazing things lol. And I agree, tropes are not always bad 🙂
I have GOT to read this book! I remember you recommended it when I was looking for PNR recs on twitter, and it’s been on my TBR since. I love the fact that you emailed the author, that’s the sign of a truly engrossing series right there! It’s good to know about the weirdness with the romance tropes before going in though, so I can gird my mental loins…no pun intended. LOL. ?
I did recommend these! Lol, that’s why I had to mention the email, just to show how engrossing this series was (and continues to be since it has a spin-off now). But yeah, it’s probably good to know going in that there is some romance trope-iness just so you can set your expectations accordingly! Pshh, you totally meant that pun, I’m onto you 😉
I came for the passionate updated reviews, lol. Like you, I think Dev’s great, he also grows and grows, but I was always a Team Daniel girl. Zoey and Daniel were the ones who made me feel the most because, even though a lot of their love has been young love, they had that history and you aren’t just told about it, you can feel and see it.. The tortured vampire is a bonus and a favourite of mine when written well. And that biting? Yes please… 🙂
Sophie Oak, aka Lexi Blake, has a ménage of Jack Barnes, Samuel Fleetwood and Abby Moore in a contemporary erotic western series, not a book/series you would like, Zoey, Daniel, and Dev are these characters to a tee – their paranormal counterparts. When I started reading Steal the Light, I could see it so clearly, I can’t begin to say how similar they are – great emotion, love, laugh out loud humour, and so addictive and personable, but completely different worlds. Both Zoey and Abby are strong and take-charge women too, which is usually mandatory for me. I’ve reread the first two books in the Texas Sirens series 20+ times because it’s Jack, Sam and Abby and I love them. So I understand what you’re saying about how can you feel that characters can be flawed or events pushing belief but still be so totally onboard with it, it’s so good and addictive and all kinds of perfect for you to read and reread because the characterisations and the writing is just right.
I’m giving you re-review points for swoon and swoony and asking about the three of them together – go, Kristen! 😀
Haha yeeeessss. I actually didn’t like Dev in the beginning. The first book was so well written that I honestly didn’t know who to trust any more than Zoey did, and Dev just rubbed me the wrong way (ok I never realized until now how dirty that phrase sounds—it took me seeing Dev’s name with it in order to notice, haha). Or maybe I was just so strongly Team Daniel that I didn’t like him encroaching on that? But he did grow on me. Zoey and Daniel’s love though *swoon* I just LOVE their love. And yes, I really can FEEL it when I read these books. Idk if you read the review for Book 2, but that one scene I talked about just kills me every time I read it. And yeah, I have a bit of a weak spot for the tortured, brooding vampire 😛 And I definitely love the biting. (Btw, if you like sexy vampire biting sex scenes, you should check out Bleeding Heart by Melissa Graves.)
Gah, I hate that her other series are just not my kinda books because I want more of her characters! And damn, 20+ times?! That’s how you know a book is amazing. But yeah, these books are not always 100% realistic and are sometimes kind of exaggerated or trope-y, but it just works and they’re so good. Haha, I’m sure you could easily figure out which characters I asked about—I just had to know!