I was disappointed by this book. The title held so much promise. Julia/Ella did not come across to me as a likable character. As the book progressed she painted herself more and more into a corner and will no doubt become even less appealing.

The world that is presented in this book seemed to fragmented to me. There was too much history and geography that was in splinters.

There was so much darkness and evil and so little hope for me in this book. I will not be watching for the rest of the trilogy.

This book was AMAZING!! I loved it so much. It combined witches, murder, thrills, and mystery along with humor and a likable young girl. It skips the insanely boring get to know your characters part, and start off with Julia's first job. This book exceeded and blew up my expectations. READ IT!!

A great YA fantasy with a fascinating and flawed female lead and wonderful world-building. Julia, a thief with a magic ability to pass unseen, finds her latest job as a spy brings her into contact with wolfmen, witches, immortals and other dangers. The world is realistically complex, with multiple religions and class distinctions, and the romance elements are well-tied to Julia's growth as a person and the mystery plot. It will definitely appeal to fans of Kristin Cashore's Graceling, though being first in a trilogy and not a stand-alone makes it not quite as strong as that instant classic.