James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild. Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out–if he’ll help her kill a powerful nobleman. With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. But when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison.

Growing up on Forge's streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that's not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she's not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he is persistent-and darkly attractive-and Kyra can't quite resist his pull. Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by the Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease. When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival-and vengeance-might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra's past that threatens to reshape both their lives. In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner-and danger is a way of life. Praise for *Midnight Thief*"Blackburne's fast-paced fantasy will please fans of Leigh Bardugo and Tamora Pierce."-School Library Journal **From School Library JournalGr 7 Up—Seventeen and long orphaned, Kyra has grown up using her natural speed and stealth to thieve her way through life on Forge's streets. James, the Assassins Guild's attractive and politically minded young leader, recruits Kyra with handsome rewards for herself and her friends, but at what cost? Kyra's dangerous new job turns deadly, and she finds her mission entangled with that of a Palace knight, Tristam, who seeks vengeance for his friend killed by Demon Riders, barbarians who ride on the backs of vicious wildcats. Third-person alternating narratives between Kyra and Tristam effectively set the pace and tension leading up to their unlikely alliance and thrilling discovery of Kyra's heritage. External conflict among the assassins, nobles, and Demon Riders is balanced by Kyra's internal conflict as she faces harrowing moral decisions that make her question her true nature and the measures she will take to protect loved ones. While earlier chapters read more like medieval-era historical fiction and may not appeal to the most reluctant readers, Blackburne's fast-paced fantasy will please fans of Leigh Bardugo and Tamora Pierce. This page-turning debut answers immediate questions and provides satisfying character development, while leaving ample room for additional installments.—Hannah Farmer, Austin Public Library, TX About the AuthorLivia Blackburne has a PhD in neuroscience from MIT, where she conducted research on the neural correlates of reading. She still blogs on the intersection of writing and brain science (liviablackburne.com). She lives in Los Angeles with her husband. This is her debut novel.

A healer who cannot be healed . . . When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it's only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she's destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill. A soldier shattered by war . . . Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he'll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self. Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn't be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that...

The mission was a failure. Even though Zivah and Dineas discovered a secret that could bring down the empire, their information is useless without proof. Now, with their cover blown and their quest abandoned, their only remaining hope is to get home before Ampara brings the full might of its armies against their peoples. As Shidadi and Dara alike prepare for war, Zivah and Dineas grapple with the toll of their time in the capital. After fighting alongside the Amparans against his own kin, can Dineas convince the Shidadi—and himself—where his loyalties lie? After betraying her healer's vows in Sehmar City, can Zivah find a way to redeem herself— especially when the Dara ask her to do the unthinkable? And after reluctantly falling in love, what will the two do with their lingering feelings, now that the Dineas from Sehmar City is gone forever? Time is running out for all of them, but especially Zivah whose plague symptoms surface once again. Now, she must decide how she'll define...