The Plunder of Karst

Thieving Hearts #2

by Alex Callan, Angelica Babineaux

An Unwritten Favor to fulfill. A dangerous quest. And the past that catches up to them. Tomlyn Baker is really good at running away -- from his reclusive home in Karst, from Benny's Boys, and from his mixed feelings for Sylf, the woman who kind of murdered him and then brought him back to life. But when she gets caught up with a group of dangerous religious zealots to steal a magical artifact from Karst, Tomlyn has no choice but to return to the caves he hoped to never see again.

For Sylf Dawnwood, Plan A is simple. Go on the expedition. Get the artifact. Pay off the Unwritten Favor she owes Doc for saving Tomlyn's life. But her plan is derailed when Tomlyn's past as a monster-hunting Charger catches up with both of them. Soon she's not just fighting for her survival but his too.

Just when they think they see the light at the end of the tunnel, Tomlyn is faced with an impossible let go of Sylf and his life on the surface forever, or watch her die. To get back home with her, he'll need to come up with a new plan, one that requires trusting Sylf completely despite their past.

The question is, can he?Dive into Book 2 of the Thieving Hearts series, and follow Sylf and Tomlyn as they navigate their relationship in the wake of the Stitchers' demise. The Plunder of Karst completes the first duology in the Thieving Hearts series.

Thieving Hearts is a DnD-inspired epic fantasy romance series, perfect for fans who liked the fantasy vibe of “Legends and Lattes” by Travis Baldree and the character driven heist hijinks of Leigh Bardugo’s “Six of Crows”, plus a guaranteed HEA (happily ever after).

Genres: Fantasy

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2024

Reviews

[Rikke's Reading Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins a couple of months after the events of The Heist of Yeventown. Sylf is trying to rebuild her life and home, Tomlyn is trying to work through having been resurrected and slowly finding religion. Sylf owes Doc a Favour (a magically binding one), and they ask her to seek out a relic that has just resurfaced that can resurrect anyone without a cost (or so they think), which can be found in the caverns of Karst. It just so happens that a paladin is putting together a party, which Sylf joins - without telling Tomlyn. Tomlyn ends up joining to save an acolyte going. This means that Tomlyn is now literally facing his worst nightmare - returning to the caverns of Karst.

As a D&D player this is a great story, I can see all dice rolls, checks, spells, spell slots and it's fun trying to figure out what class and race everyone is. If you don't play D&D this is "just" you run of the mill fantasy world, with some added elements.

I love how the authors have kept the matriarchal society of Drows, which are named Kastarii in these books (presumably due to copyright reasons, Wizards of the Coast are renowned for this). It's basically toxic masculinity but as femininity. Men are objects and treated as nothing but defenders, breeding stallions and ornaments - even down to what they wear. It's interesting to read.

What I love the most about their writing style is that they don't explain everything to the reader, some things are inferred, something as a reader you need to discover or deduce, and when things are explained it's pretty organic.

There's a couple of chapters midway where Tomlyn has a panic attack, and as readers we experience it with him. It's really disorienting, and it's so heart wrenching because you also feel Sylf struggle to ground Tomlyn (and herself). There's a lot of family trauma exploration in the midst of a lot of action.

I think this series will become a comfort read and something I will return to. It's a great story in and of itself, I really enjoyed the main characters as they discover who they are separately but also together. The steamy scenes are not so bad either.

[Holly Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Plunder Of Karst is the second book in the Thieving Hearts duology. It is a DnD based series, but that does not detract from the novels if you're not a DnD fan (it took me until halfway through the first novel to even realize it).

We continue from where the first book left off, a couple of months in the future. Sylf has a debt to pay for bringing Tomlyn back, and Tomlyn has some confused feelings to sort through about it all.

This book delved more into the characters, and it was quite well done. There was a panic attack scene in particular that really felt like you were right there going through it as well. The world building is complex, and interesting, and the plot moves along quite well.

I'll be watching for more books set in this world from these authors.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Katharina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Plunder Of Karst is the second book in the Thieving Hearts series by Alex Callan and Angelica Babineaux. This time we accompany Sylf and Tomlyn on a quest into Karst to steal an important artifact. But Karst is a dangerous place and going back to the home he escaped from 20 years ago, resurges bad memories for Tomlyn. Will they be able to get back from this mission in one piece?

The Plunder of Karst is an amazing addition to the series! I absolutely loved getting to know the characters better and seeing how their relationships evolve. Karst is such an interesting place and I really liked to explore it with the characters. The inclusion of DnD and LGBTQIA+ elements is just the cherry on top! If you liked the first book in the series, I strongly recommend continuing with this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Plunder of Karst, the second book in the Thieving Hearts series, picks up seamlessly after the events of The Heist of Yeventown. As the characters grapple with rebuilding their lives and adjusting to new realities, the story progresses with a natural flow that makes for a compelling continuation. I found the characters particularly endearing; their development added significant depth to the storyline. Watching their journeys and the unfolding events was truly engaging, making this sequel a standout in the series.

[Hanna Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

After highly enjoying the previous book, I was excited for the sequel and really liked it! A great continuation of the story and I look forward to more books.

I received an advance copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great continuation of an epic story. I grew to love the characters even more and I’m so invested in their lives. It flowed nicely and never once seemed boring.