- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Available on NOOK devices and apps
Need a NOOK? Explore Now
Need a NOOK? Explore Now
"An enthralling yarn of magical intrigue.... It's downright impossible not to follow wherever her quick tongue, nimble fingers and itchy feet will carry her next." -- Kirkus Reviews
In a glamorous castle full of Llyvraneth's elite, Celyn Contrare serves as a lady-in-waiting to shy young Merista Nemair. Her days are spent dressing in velvet, attending Lady Merista, navigating court gossip, and charming noblemen over lavish feasts.
And at night, she picks locks, steals jewels, forges documents, and collects secrets. Because Celyn isn't really a lady-in-waiting; she's not even really Celyn Contrare. She's Digger, a sneak-thief on the run from the king's Inquisition, desperate to escape its cruel instruments and hatred of magic. If she's discovered, it will mean her certain death.
But life as a lady-in-waiting isn't safe either. . . . The devious Lord Daul knows her secret, and he's blackmailing her to serve as his personal spy in the castle. What she discovers -- about Daul, about the Nemair, even about her own Lady Merista -- could signal civil war in Llyvraneth. And for a thief trained never to get involved, taking sides could be the most dangerous job yet.
An adolescent thief threads a treacherous labyrinth of politics and sorcery in this fine series opener. Digger knows the rules—Stay Alive, Don't Get Caught, Don't Get Involved—but they're tricky to follow when a job gone sour lands her with a dead partner, brutal Greenmen on her trail and a cushy hideout as an aristocratic lady's maid. Blackmailed into spying on her kindly employers, she's soon juggling a dizzying tangle of plots, betrayals and lies, desperate to preserve the most dangerous secret of all...her own. The narrative plunges immediately into action with a daunting barrage of arcane names, places and concepts, but determined readers are rewarded with an enthralling yarn of magical intrigue, all in Digger's irresistible voice—clever, cynical, cocky, with an undercurrent of aching loneliness. Given that everyone in one faction is warm, generous and wise and their opponents uniformly vicious, spiteful and cruel, it's not hard to guess which way Digger will jump; it's downright impossible not to follow wherever her quick tongue, nimble fingers and itchy feet will carry her next. (Fantasy. YA)
bookworm3210
Posted December 2, 2011
I picked this book up because I kept hearing that it was somewhat similar to one of my favorite series. I was a little skeptical and it turned out that the only similarity was that the main characters in both books were thieves. But this book was amazing! The characters come alive and the book keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a non-conventional heroine and loves an action packed book!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 9, 2012
Best book i have read in awhile! The book is greatly detailed and wonderful storyline, with easily likeable characters I read this in two days because i just couldn't put it down! I highly recommend to any lovers of heroines, magic and mystery! :)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 4, 2012
It's nice to see a young adult book that steers clear of idealized romance in favor of developing well-rounded characters who engage in an original plot set within a credible fantasy world. I look forward to reading the sequel.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 19, 2011
I'm not quite certain what to make of this delightful novel. It flits acros the boundaries betwen differant familiar stories--the heist, the spy, the detective. And all of it works together to tell a rich narrative.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.9676938
Posted September 18, 2011
I just read this book with no interesr and i realized it is an awesome book!! I recommended this book to other people too also i cant wait for the second book!! Go Digger!>_<
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.SamJackson
Posted September 4, 2011
I Also Recommend:
I am absolutely in love with this story! It's earned top shelf status for my bookshelf, and I'm getting ready to re-read it in anticipation for the next in the series to come out!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.8597335
Posted July 7, 2011
I loved this book! It was exciting, and captivating. I cannot wait for the sequel.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.In a country filled with tension and betrayal, Digger has a past that she's desperate to hide. One night, when things get out of control, she flees her old life. On the run, she comes across a group of people leaving the city, and she manipulates her way onto their ship. She makes up a name and a convenient background. Digger becomes Celyn. As the group finds their way home, Celyn tags along. Reluctant to leave and cross boundaries without the proper papers, Celyn stays. She reinvents herself as a lady-in-waiting, attaching herself to Lady Merista. Digger plans to leave Lady Merista the first chance she gets. However, circumstances change and, before she knows what's happened, she's snowbound in a castle. Even worse, someone in the castle knows about her past. He's using that against her in order to find out more about her hosts. While she feeds him information, hating herself for it, she stumbles onto large secrets. She gives him just enough to keep him happy, all while trying to unravel the secrets for herself. After a slow start, STARCROSSED picks up with danger, romance, magic, double crossings, and secrets. Celyn's smart-aleck ways add touches of humor to an otherwise serious read. The action and danger of Celyn sneaking about the castle while uncovering clues and discovering secrets moves the plot along quickly. I couldn't wait to discover what she would uncover next, and I look forward to her next adventure.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.STARCROSSED lured me into dangerous webs of Digger's life as she ried to outrun the Greenmen (temple guards of the Goddess Celys but they report directly to the King) after a successful job of retrieving important letters from the King's secretary. As with any fantasy novel, STARCROSSED has plenty of important characters and places that are uniquely tied to the plotline which had me trying to wrap my head around each of the character's motives and beliefs while trying to fit the puzzle pieces together to uncover hidden secrets. As I was reading along, I decided to write out the names and places so I would have the spelling correct, then my list started to look like a glossary. But don't fret! The book has a Lexicon of terms in the back which is very helpful if you have problems following along.
STARCROSSED has a wide range of personalities but the main heroine, Digger is one of those characters you can't help but like. She's led an interesting and danger filled life as a thief. Her unique magical skill has made her a valuable asset in the streets of Gerse. Through her eyes, I experienced firsthand the dangers that shroud her life. She's brave and she's always looking for the next priceless commodity or escape route which had me laughing plenty of times at how her mind works. If I had to sum Digger up, I'd say: She's trapped within a chain of lies and secrets so complex that she's beginning to find out it isn't as easy as her skill at picking locks. Another character that kept me guessing was Dual. I wanted to know, what he had up his sleeve. I also wanted to know what he was hiding and what his ultimate goal was for being at the Nemair's. The whole world that Bunce created was mysteriously intriguing which only lured me further and further into STARCROSSED's world of magic, power, politics, and secrets.
The whole world of Llyvaraneth, from its lands to the politics, and the people's beliefs of their Gods & Goddesses were quite captivating. I didn't want to put this book down as I followed along as Digger masqueraded as a lady's maid while trying to escape the Greenmen. You never knew what secret was going to be uncovered. STARCROSSED is a well-written novel and I can't wait to see what the sequel has in store for Digger.
Anonymous
Posted January 30, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted February 12, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted November 29, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted July 15, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted April 29, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted June 18, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted January 21, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted September 2, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted May 6, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted November 18, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted November 14, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
LendMe™
Overview
"An enthralling yarn of magical intrigue.... It's downright impossible not to follow wherever her quick tongue, nimble fingers and itchy feet will carry her next." -- Kirkus Reviews
In a glamorous castle full of Llyvraneth's elite, Celyn Contrare serves as a lady-in-waiting to shy young Merista Nemair. Her days are spent dressing in velvet, attending Lady Merista, navigating court gossip, and charming noblemen over lavish feasts.
And at night, she picks locks, steals jewels, forges documents, and collects secrets. Because Celyn isn't really a lady-in-waiting; she's not even really Celyn Contrare. She's Digger, a sneak-thief on the run from the king's ...