Ink & Wonder Book Club Review – Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

A battle of wits, a clash of wills, and a love story tangled in lies and loyalty.

I never promise my book reviews won’t have spoilers. I can’t be trusted not to spill the tea, especially when the tea is piping hot. As such, proceed at your own risk. 😉

You ever have a book sitting on your TBR forever—not because you don’t want to read it, but because somehow it just keeps getting pushed aside? That was me with Dance of Thieves. And let me just say—past me was a fool. Because this book? I should have read it sooner.

From page one, I was immersed. The world felt rich, the tension was delicious, and the characters felt grounded and real. Kazi (our heroine) was fierce and flawed in all the right ways, and the side characters weren’t just filler—they had their own personalities, arcs, and reasons to love them. And let’s not forget Jase—the chemistry between him and Kazi? Immaculate.

The cat-and-mouse dynamic between them made for the best kind of slow-burn tension. Mistrust, deception, reluctant partnership, inevitable attraction—all woven into a plot that kept me hooked. And the conflict and the stakes were intricate and believable. The only tiny thing I’ll say is that 17 felt a bit young for everything these characters go through/have already been through—I wouldn’t have minded if their ages had been a little more ambiguous (I mean I mentally age up all my favorite teenage protagonists anyway). But honestly? That’s such a minor thing in the grand scheme of how much I enjoyed this book.

My favorite part was a lovely ending. It’s not often you get a perfect balance of happily ever after is inevitable for these two with all the give me more/what happens next energy. Dance of Thieves nailed it. Chef’s kiss. I cannot wait to dive into Vow of Thieves. If you’ve had this on your TBR forever like I did—consider this your sign.

Read it.

Now.

What to read next:

• Vow of Thieves - Book 2 to complete this duology.

• Kiss of Deception - if you didn’t read it first, read the prequel series.

• One Dark Window - by Rachel Gillig (another incredible duology)

Now tell me—who else loved Kazi? Who’s already read book two? And how fast should I be clearing my schedule to read it?

💛 M