Thief Liar Lady by Destiny Soria

Thief Liar Lady (Thief Liar Lady, #1)

by Destiny Soria

“Happily Ever After” is a total scam, but at least this time the princess is the one controlling the grift—until her true love arrives and threatens to ruin the whole scheme. Intrigue, magic, and wit abound in this Cinderella fairytale reimagining, perfect for fans of Heather Walter and Naomi Novik.

“A dazzlingly magical, thrilling, and inventive take on a beloved classic.”—Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback's a Witch

I’m not who you think I am.

My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen—as the rumors insisted—in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make.

My stepsisters and I had been trained for this—to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we wanted in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after.

But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince—the wrong prince—distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created . . . and that could prove fatal.

There’s so much more riding on this than a crown.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Thief Liar Lady is a readable and fresh reimagining of Cinderella by debut author D.L.Soria. Released 11th July 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 416 pages and is available in all formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

This is an upside down retelling of Cinderella, except in this version, Cinderella is in cahoots with her stepmother and stepsisters to con the prince and take over the magical resources of the kingdom. She's a sort of anti-hero and grows/develops a conscience along the way. 

The writing was surprisingly uneven, and there are some areas of "love magic" which are fundamentally iffy and problematic. That being said, it's an entertaining, romantic, sarcastic tale, and would find a ready audience with fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo. 

Four stars. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Reading updates

  • 20 December, 2023: Started reading
  • 20 December, 2023: Finished reading
  • 20 December, 2023: Reviewed