Will I love The Spirit Thief?

I first discovered Rachel Aaron, when one of my fans recommended her. After reading her first book, I could see why. Eli is a charming roguish thief who can communicate with spirts, and Niko is a no-nonsense ghost. Their contrasting personalities makes for great reading.

Like all of my prior recommendations, humor plays an important part in this tale. But what I like the most is that the pair’s relationship isn’t just about camaraderie during adventures—it’s about mutual growth and understanding as they both learn from one another. This book isn’t as widely read as some of Rachel’s more recent… show more.

I have a soft spot for charming con men, and in Spirit Thief we meet one of the best. Not only is Eli Monpress a wizard, he's the greatest thief ever. Thief is just the first in a series of Eli Monpress/Spirit novels, and I've only read the first one thus far. But it's a light-as-air confection that manages to unspool one single caper over the course of a full novel while still keeping things fast-paced, with an ensemble of colorful, fully-realized characters. Aaron manages a balancing act with this kind of character that I'm still working on… show more.