What do you think?
Rate this book
Isabella Hush #1
Rune Thief
What she steals may be priceless, but what she can't see will cost her.
Isabella Hush may be a talented thief, but her past is about to creep up on her.
In need of quick funds to escape a nasty ex and his henchmen, she takes a chance on a rumored cache of Incan gold. But the heist goes terribly wrong and she ends up inebriated in a dark alley with a strange man dying at her feet.
Against her better judgement, she pauses to help, and out of habit, picks his pockets. Then the man disappears without a trace, leaving nothing behind but filthy cobblestones, and she begins to think she imagined it all.
That is, until the next morning when she finds the pilfered items in her apartment and a strange mark on her arm. Before long, she discovers there's a supernatural realm seething unknown beneath her feet. And she just might long for the simple days of a heist gone bad...
Because now she's not just being hunted by dangerous men, she's being hunted by dangerous immortals.
Fans of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series will find a familiar world of supernatural creatures but this time, the hero isn't always a good guy. If you love action-packed stories with not-so-shrinking violet heroines, you won't want to miss this series.
Isabella Hush may be a talented thief, but her past is about to creep up on her.
In need of quick funds to escape a nasty ex and his henchmen, she takes a chance on a rumored cache of Incan gold. But the heist goes terribly wrong and she ends up inebriated in a dark alley with a strange man dying at her feet.
Against her better judgement, she pauses to help, and out of habit, picks his pockets. Then the man disappears without a trace, leaving nothing behind but filthy cobblestones, and she begins to think she imagined it all.
That is, until the next morning when she finds the pilfered items in her apartment and a strange mark on her arm. Before long, she discovers there's a supernatural realm seething unknown beneath her feet. And she just might long for the simple days of a heist gone bad...
Because now she's not just being hunted by dangerous men, she's being hunted by dangerous immortals.
Fans of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series will find a familiar world of supernatural creatures but this time, the hero isn't always a good guy. If you love action-packed stories with not-so-shrinking violet heroines, you won't want to miss this series.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 16, 2018
391 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
Thea Atkinson
109 books326 followersThea is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author. She used to have a black lab at her feet when she wrote, warming up the calves. It can be cold in rural Nova Scotia. Now it's just a cuppa tea keeping her warm.
Her urban fantasy pulses with dark themes and action-packed intrigue. Her characters are always deeply wounded creatures struggling for redemption.
Hang out with her on Instagram or Facebook or follow her on Amazon. Grab a free book at her website.
Find her on the web:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B0046DIT0U
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaatkinso...
TT: http://https://www.tiktok.com/@theaat...
<<<>>>
a special shout out to Brenda Levy Tate for the awesome author photo wherein I don't look too dog-lady crazy.
Her urban fantasy pulses with dark themes and action-packed intrigue. Her characters are always deeply wounded creatures struggling for redemption.
Hang out with her on Instagram or Facebook or follow her on Amazon. Grab a free book at her website.
Find her on the web:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B0046DIT0U
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaatkinso...
TT: http://https://www.tiktok.com/@theaat...
<<<>>>
a special shout out to Brenda Levy Tate for the awesome author photo wherein I don't look too dog-lady crazy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
January 13, 2021
I love this series! Rune Thief is the perfect start to an excellent urban fantasy series.
April 15, 2018
Bitches Be Critics: Judging Romance Novels by Feminist Standards
http://www.bitchesbecritics.com
Reviewed by: Notorious
Preamble:
Rune Thief had potential, but the plot just took too long to get going. Coupled with a heroine who’s so passive she might as well be sleepwalking through the story, and you’ve got the ingredients for a DNF.
Things I liked:
The heroine, Sis (short for Isabella), was fairly spunky with the potential to kick ass (unfortunately this potential wasn’t realized before I bailed). Before the story began, she’d run away from her evil ex-boyfriend—who’s some sort of crime boss—with literally only the clothes on her back, but still managed to become a thief and support herself while hiding from him for several years. I can appreciate that moxie. She had a unique, cynical voice I enjoyed reading—except when I ran into one of many frequent typos.
The concept also had (unrealized) potential—a young thief running from her past while trying to navigate the criminal underworld where there might be magical shenanigans sounded like an interesting story I was on board with.
Things I didn’t like:
The first issue is that the worldbuilding is nonexistent. I understood that the story took place in modern times, in a city. That’s it. There were no hints as to where in the world the city was—London or New York, maybe?—whether magic existed or not, what forces or circumstances were important, or any other details of the world Sis lived in. Her only backstory was that she was running away from her evil ex-boyfriend. The fact the story’s cover copy mentioned a supernatural underworld was the only reason I knew magic was supposed to be a part of this world.
The second issue, and the reason I stopped reading at around the 30% mark, was that the plot never kicked into gear. A lot of things happened, but they never led to anything resembling the beginning of a narrative arc. Also, Sis never seemed to care too much about all the weird shit happening around her, so why should I?
Let me show you what I’m talking about. Here’s a summary of how far I got in the book:
The story opens with Sis robs some kind of penthouse apartment. She randomly intuits the safe’s key code by assuming it must be a set of prime numbers (?) without setting off any alarms (at first I assumed she used magic because WTF, but turns out she just got really lucky…I guess?). She’s attacked by some dogs and gets bitten in the leg, but escapes.
She walks like a couple blocks away, then stops and takes a moment to look over all the stuff she just stole a few minutes ago as she stands underneath a street lamp in the middle of the sidewalk (this was when I really became confused about what world she lived in—does anyone walking by find this super suspicious? How didn’t she set off about a million alarms in the penthouse? Where are the people? Where are the cops? What the hell city is this?).
Then she gets hassled by a hot guy “randomly” passing by—he only wants to help her, though, not report her obviously suspicious behavior to the police! She blows him off, then she convinces a bum she’s never met before—who happens to have medical knowledge and bandages up her dog bite…how convenient!—to pawn off the stuff she stole, which is mostly junk. She follows the bum into the pawn shop because……?…..so she follows him in, then gets waylaid by the same “random” hot guy from before, who she’s now convinced is a minion of her evil ex-boyfriend and is waiting for the right opportunity to kidnap her and take her back to Evil Ex.
The mysterious hot guy leaves without doing anything, though, and Sis takes the money the bum got from pawning the junk and goes to a bar for a drink. Apparently her reaction to barely escaping a botched robbery, getting attacked by dogs, finding out all the stuff she risked her life to steal is junk, and being stalked by her Evil Ex’s minion who may kidnap her and drag her back to a life of sexual slavery at any moment, is this:
So she’s in the bar, having a drink, when out of nowhere a paranoid guy puts his hands on her and threatens to kill her. They exchange tense words—which do not include her screaming for help—until he suddenly wanders off with no explanation. She leaves the bar to FINALLY go home, but finds the paranoid guy lying in the back alley, mysteriously dying.
Instead of getting the hell out of there, she decides she needs to help him even though he threatened to kill her literally a few minutes ago.
She goes through his pockets and steals some stuff from him, including a mysterious tile thing—a rune, if you will—before calling 911 with his phone. Then he disappears into thin air – literally POOF, GONE. Sis goes home to sleep it all off, because:
The next day, she wakes up naked with blood coming out of her mouth, along with a weird mark on her arm. HOLY SHIT!!
She’s more interested in selling the expensive-looking mysterious tile, you see. I mean, who HASN’T woken up naked with blood coming out of their mouth and no memory of how they ended up that way? That’s my average Saturday morning, right before the kids start bugging me for breakfast. (“Just make yourselves a dang Pop-Tart, for Christ’s sake! Mommy needs a hot shower and mouthwash.”)
ANYWAY, she puts on a sexy outfit and tries to pawn the tile off on a lecherous broker, but he tries to drag her into a torture room and rape her instead. Random hot guy shows up out of nowhere, yet again, breaking up the attempted rape with his presence, but still doesn’t actually do anything. Sis leaves with the tile, vowing to never return instead of, oh, I don’t know, calling the police to report the RAPE ROOM THE PAWNBROKER’S GOT RIGHT BEHIND HIS COUNTER. I mean, that was pretty traumatic, right Sis? Right??
So…[SIGH] anyway, she goes home and finds her apartment broken into and her cat badly burned. Aaaand this is where I peaced out of the book, because based on 100% of everything that’s come before, I assumed her reaction would be:
By this point it was the end of freaking Chapter Seven and I still had no idea who anybody was, what world Sis lived in, what Sis’s goals were (except to get away from Evil Ex…which she already was, so…?), what the hell was going on, or why I should give a shit about any of it. Sis herself obviously didn’t give a shit; see above for proof.
Petticoat or Pantsuit?
I struggled with this one because I liked Sis and was frustrated with her passivity throughout the story. Even if she starts kicking ass later (which I suspect she does), I couldn’t get over how passive she was.
Also, the rapist pawnbroker is described as having “effeminate” eyes. I’m not sure what that actually looks like, but I assume a dude having lady-eyes is a bad thing and falls into the practice of attributing female traits to males as a kind of insult, which is sexist as shit. Also, Sis upbraids herself for wearing sexy clothes to the rapist pawnbroker’s shop, as if it’s her fault for tempting him. Don’t go there, girl. How about you focus instead on other things, like, say, finding out why you woke up naked with blood coming out of your mouth. That might be important, I’m just sayin’.
Read more at http://www.bitchesbecritics.com
http://www.bitchesbecritics.com
Reviewed by: Notorious
Preamble:
Rune Thief had potential, but the plot just took too long to get going. Coupled with a heroine who’s so passive she might as well be sleepwalking through the story, and you’ve got the ingredients for a DNF.
Things I liked:
The heroine, Sis (short for Isabella), was fairly spunky with the potential to kick ass (unfortunately this potential wasn’t realized before I bailed). Before the story began, she’d run away from her evil ex-boyfriend—who’s some sort of crime boss—with literally only the clothes on her back, but still managed to become a thief and support herself while hiding from him for several years. I can appreciate that moxie. She had a unique, cynical voice I enjoyed reading—except when I ran into one of many frequent typos.
The concept also had (unrealized) potential—a young thief running from her past while trying to navigate the criminal underworld where there might be magical shenanigans sounded like an interesting story I was on board with.
Things I didn’t like:
The first issue is that the worldbuilding is nonexistent. I understood that the story took place in modern times, in a city. That’s it. There were no hints as to where in the world the city was—London or New York, maybe?—whether magic existed or not, what forces or circumstances were important, or any other details of the world Sis lived in. Her only backstory was that she was running away from her evil ex-boyfriend. The fact the story’s cover copy mentioned a supernatural underworld was the only reason I knew magic was supposed to be a part of this world.
The second issue, and the reason I stopped reading at around the 30% mark, was that the plot never kicked into gear. A lot of things happened, but they never led to anything resembling the beginning of a narrative arc. Also, Sis never seemed to care too much about all the weird shit happening around her, so why should I?
Let me show you what I’m talking about. Here’s a summary of how far I got in the book:
The story opens with Sis robs some kind of penthouse apartment. She randomly intuits the safe’s key code by assuming it must be a set of prime numbers (?) without setting off any alarms (at first I assumed she used magic because WTF, but turns out she just got really lucky…I guess?). She’s attacked by some dogs and gets bitten in the leg, but escapes.
She walks like a couple blocks away, then stops and takes a moment to look over all the stuff she just stole a few minutes ago as she stands underneath a street lamp in the middle of the sidewalk (this was when I really became confused about what world she lived in—does anyone walking by find this super suspicious? How didn’t she set off about a million alarms in the penthouse? Where are the people? Where are the cops? What the hell city is this?).
Then she gets hassled by a hot guy “randomly” passing by—he only wants to help her, though, not report her obviously suspicious behavior to the police! She blows him off, then she convinces a bum she’s never met before—who happens to have medical knowledge and bandages up her dog bite…how convenient!—to pawn off the stuff she stole, which is mostly junk. She follows the bum into the pawn shop because……?…..so she follows him in, then gets waylaid by the same “random” hot guy from before, who she’s now convinced is a minion of her evil ex-boyfriend and is waiting for the right opportunity to kidnap her and take her back to Evil Ex.
The mysterious hot guy leaves without doing anything, though, and Sis takes the money the bum got from pawning the junk and goes to a bar for a drink. Apparently her reaction to barely escaping a botched robbery, getting attacked by dogs, finding out all the stuff she risked her life to steal is junk, and being stalked by her Evil Ex’s minion who may kidnap her and drag her back to a life of sexual slavery at any moment, is this:
So she’s in the bar, having a drink, when out of nowhere a paranoid guy puts his hands on her and threatens to kill her. They exchange tense words—which do not include her screaming for help—until he suddenly wanders off with no explanation. She leaves the bar to FINALLY go home, but finds the paranoid guy lying in the back alley, mysteriously dying.
Instead of getting the hell out of there, she decides she needs to help him even though he threatened to kill her literally a few minutes ago.
She goes through his pockets and steals some stuff from him, including a mysterious tile thing—a rune, if you will—before calling 911 with his phone. Then he disappears into thin air – literally POOF, GONE. Sis goes home to sleep it all off, because:
The next day, she wakes up naked with blood coming out of her mouth, along with a weird mark on her arm. HOLY SHIT!!
She’s more interested in selling the expensive-looking mysterious tile, you see. I mean, who HASN’T woken up naked with blood coming out of their mouth and no memory of how they ended up that way? That’s my average Saturday morning, right before the kids start bugging me for breakfast. (“Just make yourselves a dang Pop-Tart, for Christ’s sake! Mommy needs a hot shower and mouthwash.”)
ANYWAY, she puts on a sexy outfit and tries to pawn the tile off on a lecherous broker, but he tries to drag her into a torture room and rape her instead. Random hot guy shows up out of nowhere, yet again, breaking up the attempted rape with his presence, but still doesn’t actually do anything. Sis leaves with the tile, vowing to never return instead of, oh, I don’t know, calling the police to report the RAPE ROOM THE PAWNBROKER’S GOT RIGHT BEHIND HIS COUNTER. I mean, that was pretty traumatic, right Sis? Right??
So…[SIGH] anyway, she goes home and finds her apartment broken into and her cat badly burned. Aaaand this is where I peaced out of the book, because based on 100% of everything that’s come before, I assumed her reaction would be:
By this point it was the end of freaking Chapter Seven and I still had no idea who anybody was, what world Sis lived in, what Sis’s goals were (except to get away from Evil Ex…which she already was, so…?), what the hell was going on, or why I should give a shit about any of it. Sis herself obviously didn’t give a shit; see above for proof.
Petticoat or Pantsuit?
I struggled with this one because I liked Sis and was frustrated with her passivity throughout the story. Even if she starts kicking ass later (which I suspect she does), I couldn’t get over how passive she was.
Also, the rapist pawnbroker is described as having “effeminate” eyes. I’m not sure what that actually looks like, but I assume a dude having lady-eyes is a bad thing and falls into the practice of attributing female traits to males as a kind of insult, which is sexist as shit. Also, Sis upbraids herself for wearing sexy clothes to the rapist pawnbroker’s shop, as if it’s her fault for tempting him. Don’t go there, girl. How about you focus instead on other things, like, say, finding out why you woke up naked with blood coming out of your mouth. That might be important, I’m just sayin’.
Read more at http://www.bitchesbecritics.com
March 21, 2021
Miss Atkinson weaves a tale that is filled with suspense, intrigue, biting, and disquieting. It tells of Isabella and how she is trapped in a world full of dark dangers that not only come in the dark but the light also. I think that for a small item and the dangers that go along with it sure made a compelling and riveting story. It had some aspects that I felt did not really add to the story but were in the book for filler. Yes sometimes this is warranted to give the reader more of a feel for a character or story, although it was not warranted here. The writing itself is really good and I have to say I have not been displeased by this author in the past, nor with this book. I think if you like paranormal reads with a fantastic twist then this book will definitely be a satisfaction for the most hardened reader.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 29, 2018
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book for my honest opinion.
All I’m going to say is that this is a good read because that’s all I can really say without giving away any spoilers. Thea Atkinson definitely has a talent of weaving her stories and transporting her readers into the reality she’s creating. I definitely recommend you read this book because there is no harm in trying, I did and I’m glad I took that chance because I found a good book to read.
All I’m going to say is that this is a good read because that’s all I can really say without giving away any spoilers. Thea Atkinson definitely has a talent of weaving her stories and transporting her readers into the reality she’s creating. I definitely recommend you read this book because there is no harm in trying, I did and I’m glad I took that chance because I found a good book to read.
May 2, 2019
Rune Thief is a good start to this series. It's a little slow to begin with, but if you stick it out, it is definitely worth it. Ms. Atkinson develops her characters well and progresses them naturally. You like the good guy (Isabella) and dislike the bad characters. The story takes place in a modern city, so there doesn't need to be a lot of world building, but what there is is well done. I'd definitely recommend this story if you like action, adventure and fantasy!
June 7, 2020
RUNE THIEF : (Book #1 Isabella Hush Series) : THEA ATKINSON.
WOW, WOW, WOW, LOVE LOVE, LOVE
THIS BOOK & AUTHOR
OMG, if that opening paragraph doesn't grab you by the balls and hold your attention up close and personal by the short & curlies, I don't know what does! It's certainly the most unique opener I've ever read and had reeled me in from line one (sorry no spoilers)!
Urban Fantasy is my favourite genre & Thea Atkinson has been a long time favourite author.
I love reading her books, they take me into different worlds and allow me to do things my body just isn't physically capable of, but at the same time allowing my brain to transform me into these characters 'Skin Walking' in essence, as if I am Isabella Hush, playing the title role and having the ride of my life!
Ms Atkinson's is truly a gifted author whose talented writing brings their characters development right off of the page from mere words in black & white, transforming them into full flesh & bone, into real people in our minds, hearts and souls, just like our family friends and loved ones.
Some you adore and fall in love with along the way, while there are others equally well written whom you also love, but love to hate. These bring about the biggest response from me, especially if well written. It's these characters I can not wait to see how Thea delves out their fate, punishment for being total arsehats. What cruel & unusual punishment will occur as they meet their fate? Will it be something simple & normal like a bullet to the brain or will the bast@drs die screaming the horrid death they deserve & just how graphicly detailed & totally deserved can it become? Will it be one of those classic endings you'll remember for life, like the Good Doctor from Hannibal Lecter (his nemesis, not Lecter himself)?
We often take these characters into our hearts & homes, wishing we could know them in real life & have friends or loves just like them.
So many totally unforgettable, still thinking of them long after the book has been closed & put back on the shelf. I have a feeling there may be 2 of them here in this series, but I need to read much more, because as of yet, they haven't earned that statues, but I hope they do.
Isabella Hush is more than she seems.
A small slip of a woman often mistaken as a child. She's a tough, street smart, a thief and hustler, great at solving puzzles on the go and currently on the run & hiding from a violent, controlling ex who runs a criminal empire with his fingereverything and every pie, with feelers and minions everywhere.
Isabella is about to pull the job of her life.
All for Incan Gold. A score so big, it'll enable her the new start she so desperately desires.
A means to an end to secure the finances she needs to escape and flee Scottie Lebans once and for all or will it?
Isabella Hush isn't your stock standard American sweetheart, the girl next door type. Actually nothing could be further from the truth. She's not nice, she's not sweet, but can play the part to a T, and is about as far from a hero as a hero can get. Actually our protagonist would be better described as an anti-hero or anti-heroine!
And as for the rest of the characters, I'm not sure whether there's one decent person or human being among the lot.
But when the sh@# hits the fan and the job goes all horribly wrong, Isabella's life will be forever changed, blowing her mind in a way she never thought possible and now she's on the run again, but this time its not just from one person & his minions, its multiple people and multiple things!
Ms Atkinson creates a shadow world of everything deep, dark, scary and totally unbelievable.
A realm where the things made of nightmares live, hiding within the shadows of our own world able to blur the lines of one world to the other at whim, can she escape it, or will it swallow her whole?
Honestly what's worse a sadistic, violent ex or the things that go bump in the night, with fangs, claws, fur, scales and tails that you only dared thought lived in nightmares or stories to frighten young children into behaving, but nightmares are real, and they do come true too, just like our dreams!
This is not your typical happily ever after story where girl meets boy, they fall in love, girl loses boy, then find their way back to each other and live a blissful life together, thank goodness, that's so blasé and overdone.
But there's enough action, drama & excitement in this fast paced novel to keep you glued to the book right from the start. And yes there's some chemistry between a few of the characters, but will it pan out here, well you'll just have to read it yourself (like I said, no spoilers here)!
Thea has created an intriguing bunch of both main & secondary characters completely & utterly unique.
While none of them are exactly good, not all are evil, or 100% bad, but at the same time we're not really sure who or what they are or how they'll grow, develop nor adapt over the series and that’s a good thing, there's no predictability here.
And I am so eager to delve more into this & other worlds, if there, the world's where the things from nightmares dwell.
In some of Ms Atkinson's early work, I noticed a lack of detailed descriptive world building, while characters were well defined, easy to imagine and picture, some of the places, buildings or scenery were not as detailed, not as descriptive, but that of course comes with experience which I believe Thea now has in spades a great example of this comes in chapter 16:
This small paragraph reminded me of this authors capabilities to so aptly get my literacy juices flowing and I love the attention to detail here, and yes it’s not exactly world building in the sense of scenery, but it gives you a taste of her poetic licence.
‘All in all, creepy enough to make my skin try to crawl off my bones and slither up the stairs behind me. Which was exactly what I decided to do'...
And I for one can not wait for her world building in the coming books to put me through my paces, it’s one of my favourite aspects of Thea’s writing.
I really love the restraint the author has shown in this book, holding back on the romance and sex. While there were small glimpses, such as characters having thoughts or imagining how it would feel etc, that was all that was needed. Especially when you take into consideration isabella's other relationship. Izzy would have been force against her will.
I praise & thank Thea for allowing both us & the characters to get to know one another before they start shoving tongues down each other's throats and with the constant threat of rape in this book, I think it would have been in poor taste & Ms Atkinson has shown maturity & restraint where other authors would have just cashed in on the main character relationship aspect rather than to allow it to develop naturally & evolve over time the way a normal relationship would.
Too often these days book relationships go from Go to Whoo with the metal to the pedal. Everyone wants the next big book couple of like Tarzan & Jane, Aelin & Rowan, Yalena & Valek, Feyre & Rhysand, Peeta & Katniss, Romeo and Juliet.
One thing I can tell you, you'll be glad you've read it and left wanting more,
I certainly was. And the good news, these books have been around for a while so there's 1 prequel Slayer, and 4 current books available, with the 5th due to be released May 2020. There's nothing better than a binge worthy series you don't have to wait for!
I RATE RUNE THIEF
5 ⭐ Stars Out Of 5 ⭐ Stars!
I received an ARC Copy of this book from the author's and this is my fair, honest and impartial review as always.
Reviewed By : Jewelz Pederick
🙋♀ ❤ From the 🤪 🇦🇺 📖🐛❗
(Bye Love From The Crazy Australian BookWorm)!
WOW, WOW, WOW, LOVE LOVE, LOVE
THIS BOOK & AUTHOR
OMG, if that opening paragraph doesn't grab you by the balls and hold your attention up close and personal by the short & curlies, I don't know what does! It's certainly the most unique opener I've ever read and had reeled me in from line one (sorry no spoilers)!
Urban Fantasy is my favourite genre & Thea Atkinson has been a long time favourite author.
I love reading her books, they take me into different worlds and allow me to do things my body just isn't physically capable of, but at the same time allowing my brain to transform me into these characters 'Skin Walking' in essence, as if I am Isabella Hush, playing the title role and having the ride of my life!
Ms Atkinson's is truly a gifted author whose talented writing brings their characters development right off of the page from mere words in black & white, transforming them into full flesh & bone, into real people in our minds, hearts and souls, just like our family friends and loved ones.
Some you adore and fall in love with along the way, while there are others equally well written whom you also love, but love to hate. These bring about the biggest response from me, especially if well written. It's these characters I can not wait to see how Thea delves out their fate, punishment for being total arsehats. What cruel & unusual punishment will occur as they meet their fate? Will it be something simple & normal like a bullet to the brain or will the bast@drs die screaming the horrid death they deserve & just how graphicly detailed & totally deserved can it become? Will it be one of those classic endings you'll remember for life, like the Good Doctor from Hannibal Lecter (his nemesis, not Lecter himself)?
We often take these characters into our hearts & homes, wishing we could know them in real life & have friends or loves just like them.
So many totally unforgettable, still thinking of them long after the book has been closed & put back on the shelf. I have a feeling there may be 2 of them here in this series, but I need to read much more, because as of yet, they haven't earned that statues, but I hope they do.
Isabella Hush is more than she seems.
A small slip of a woman often mistaken as a child. She's a tough, street smart, a thief and hustler, great at solving puzzles on the go and currently on the run & hiding from a violent, controlling ex who runs a criminal empire with his fingereverything and every pie, with feelers and minions everywhere.
Isabella is about to pull the job of her life.
All for Incan Gold. A score so big, it'll enable her the new start she so desperately desires.
A means to an end to secure the finances she needs to escape and flee Scottie Lebans once and for all or will it?
Isabella Hush isn't your stock standard American sweetheart, the girl next door type. Actually nothing could be further from the truth. She's not nice, she's not sweet, but can play the part to a T, and is about as far from a hero as a hero can get. Actually our protagonist would be better described as an anti-hero or anti-heroine!
And as for the rest of the characters, I'm not sure whether there's one decent person or human being among the lot.
But when the sh@# hits the fan and the job goes all horribly wrong, Isabella's life will be forever changed, blowing her mind in a way she never thought possible and now she's on the run again, but this time its not just from one person & his minions, its multiple people and multiple things!
Ms Atkinson creates a shadow world of everything deep, dark, scary and totally unbelievable.
A realm where the things made of nightmares live, hiding within the shadows of our own world able to blur the lines of one world to the other at whim, can she escape it, or will it swallow her whole?
Honestly what's worse a sadistic, violent ex or the things that go bump in the night, with fangs, claws, fur, scales and tails that you only dared thought lived in nightmares or stories to frighten young children into behaving, but nightmares are real, and they do come true too, just like our dreams!
This is not your typical happily ever after story where girl meets boy, they fall in love, girl loses boy, then find their way back to each other and live a blissful life together, thank goodness, that's so blasé and overdone.
But there's enough action, drama & excitement in this fast paced novel to keep you glued to the book right from the start. And yes there's some chemistry between a few of the characters, but will it pan out here, well you'll just have to read it yourself (like I said, no spoilers here)!
Thea has created an intriguing bunch of both main & secondary characters completely & utterly unique.
While none of them are exactly good, not all are evil, or 100% bad, but at the same time we're not really sure who or what they are or how they'll grow, develop nor adapt over the series and that’s a good thing, there's no predictability here.
And I am so eager to delve more into this & other worlds, if there, the world's where the things from nightmares dwell.
In some of Ms Atkinson's early work, I noticed a lack of detailed descriptive world building, while characters were well defined, easy to imagine and picture, some of the places, buildings or scenery were not as detailed, not as descriptive, but that of course comes with experience which I believe Thea now has in spades a great example of this comes in chapter 16:
This small paragraph reminded me of this authors capabilities to so aptly get my literacy juices flowing and I love the attention to detail here, and yes it’s not exactly world building in the sense of scenery, but it gives you a taste of her poetic licence.
‘All in all, creepy enough to make my skin try to crawl off my bones and slither up the stairs behind me. Which was exactly what I decided to do'...
And I for one can not wait for her world building in the coming books to put me through my paces, it’s one of my favourite aspects of Thea’s writing.
I really love the restraint the author has shown in this book, holding back on the romance and sex. While there were small glimpses, such as characters having thoughts or imagining how it would feel etc, that was all that was needed. Especially when you take into consideration isabella's other relationship. Izzy would have been force against her will.
I praise & thank Thea for allowing both us & the characters to get to know one another before they start shoving tongues down each other's throats and with the constant threat of rape in this book, I think it would have been in poor taste & Ms Atkinson has shown maturity & restraint where other authors would have just cashed in on the main character relationship aspect rather than to allow it to develop naturally & evolve over time the way a normal relationship would.
Too often these days book relationships go from Go to Whoo with the metal to the pedal. Everyone wants the next big book couple of like Tarzan & Jane, Aelin & Rowan, Yalena & Valek, Feyre & Rhysand, Peeta & Katniss, Romeo and Juliet.
One thing I can tell you, you'll be glad you've read it and left wanting more,
I certainly was. And the good news, these books have been around for a while so there's 1 prequel Slayer, and 4 current books available, with the 5th due to be released May 2020. There's nothing better than a binge worthy series you don't have to wait for!
I RATE RUNE THIEF
5 ⭐ Stars Out Of 5 ⭐ Stars!
I received an ARC Copy of this book from the author's and this is my fair, honest and impartial review as always.
Reviewed By : Jewelz Pederick
🙋♀ ❤ From the 🤪 🇦🇺 📖🐛❗
(Bye Love From The Crazy Australian BookWorm)!
August 12, 2019
I received this book as a gift after I emailed Thea about a different novel. In actuality, I had already downloaded this in a previous giveaway and had never finished it. This time I reread it from the beginning and literally could not stop. I wasted my Saturday on this and downloaded book 2 last night.
The first scene really drew me in: Isabella is breaking into a mansion to steal ancient Incan gold and experiences the full Tomb Raider workout. I loved it, but for some reason remembered the guard dogs as cybernetic dogs. Yes, I can tell Sis has some education, since she is familiar with the Rule of Primes, and with human tendencies for using personal details while creating passwords. However, she is no superhero, no paladin, and certainly not the brightest cookie in the world. What she is is desperate. Sis is trying to gain enough money to escape her Handler.
I normally don’t read books with an unsympathetic MC [main character]. But this time I really could empathize. I understand trying to pull yourself up out of bad circumstances, pick up the pieces, and create a better life. I understand hardship, and I grew to like Sis.
The plot: Fabulous, nail-biting, and doesn’t drag at any point.
The paranormal and science elements are woven in masterfully. The world-building is just enough to enjoy but not overwhelm you with data. It is believable and exotic. I love that.
The romance is on-again/off-again. I love it that you don’t immediately know the end to the romance subplot, and I am on pins-and-needles to see how it evolves. Really, I love a great romance story, as long as the action and plot are treated as kindly.
The only negative I found: minor editing mistakes. Sis also, sorry to say, sometimes is too bull-headed to see the obvious (but we all have those moments.)
As I stated first, I have to stop reviewing so I can keep reading. LOL.
The first scene really drew me in: Isabella is breaking into a mansion to steal ancient Incan gold and experiences the full Tomb Raider workout. I loved it, but for some reason remembered the guard dogs as cybernetic dogs. Yes, I can tell Sis has some education, since she is familiar with the Rule of Primes, and with human tendencies for using personal details while creating passwords. However, she is no superhero, no paladin, and certainly not the brightest cookie in the world. What she is is desperate. Sis is trying to gain enough money to escape her Handler.
I normally don’t read books with an unsympathetic MC [main character]. But this time I really could empathize. I understand trying to pull yourself up out of bad circumstances, pick up the pieces, and create a better life. I understand hardship, and I grew to like Sis.
The plot: Fabulous, nail-biting, and doesn’t drag at any point.
The paranormal and science elements are woven in masterfully. The world-building is just enough to enjoy but not overwhelm you with data. It is believable and exotic. I love that.
The romance is on-again/off-again. I love it that you don’t immediately know the end to the romance subplot, and I am on pins-and-needles to see how it evolves. Really, I love a great romance story, as long as the action and plot are treated as kindly.
The only negative I found: minor editing mistakes. Sis also, sorry to say, sometimes is too bull-headed to see the obvious (but we all have those moments.)
As I stated first, I have to stop reviewing so I can keep reading. LOL.
March 5, 2020
Isabelle, or Sis is a thief and can crack even the hardest codes. She ran from a man named Scottie three years prior and is still on the lookout for him. If he finds and gets her, she will be caught and imprisoned in his world. On her latest job, she is out to steal Incan gold. It is a new lock to break and code…she does it~ She is attacked by two guard dogs but gets away. She also manages to have someone else pawn her things. She runs into a stranger on the streets who offers to help her but turns away from him. She runs into the same man in the pawn shop. She goes to a bar she regularly attends and is accosted by a brute of a man. She gets away but not unscathed! The man from the pawn shop is named Maddox! When she leaves the bar, the man that accosted her runs out and is hurt. She tries to help him but in turn steals some items. One is a tile marked with strange things on it. She tries to pawn it and Maddox ended up making it safe for her to leave. She contacts one of her people and she puts her in touch with someone who will buy it but she has to wait in the bar. A whole new world opens up to her! The tile is priceless and one part of a bigger puzzle that everyone wants! She will face numerous dangers, life and death situations, carry a mark that will finally save her…and hopefully can buy some protection! This is a new series that will leave you wanting more. I received a Reader’s Copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary review.
February 4, 2021
“Rune Thief” by Thea Atkinson marks the start to the “Isabella Hush” series, an urban fantasy series, that features a thief as main character (Isabella Hush herself). Isabella is in fact a talented thief; however, we first get to know her in an odd night. Isabella is back in town against her best judgement and in need of funds. Following a tip from ‘the Lollipop’ - she really should know better, but beggars can’t be choosers, can they? 😉 - she breaks into a mansion to steal a cache on Inca Gold, faces two watch dogs, and ends up in a side alley bleeding profusely, taking on a homeless man help to pawn the stolen goods, which are not at all what she expected (Lollipop, remember?)…. Then the dying guy crosses her path, Isabella stops to help to have the guy disappear before her own eyes, letting her with his pockets contents as the sole proof of his existence…. If you think this sound interesting just pick the book and keep on reading… because that is just the start of a very fast-paced, thrilling ride, as Isabella keeps dodging her pursuers, who are not only very dangerous but very immortal too 😉
This is a very satisfying start into the series, an action-packed adventure, with a captivating plot, a relatable no-nonsense main character, interesting secondary characters, a pinch of mystery and enough supernatural creatures to meet every urban fantasy fans taste.
This is a very satisfying start into the series, an action-packed adventure, with a captivating plot, a relatable no-nonsense main character, interesting secondary characters, a pinch of mystery and enough supernatural creatures to meet every urban fantasy fans taste.
June 22, 2018
Rune thief by Thea Atkinson takes us into the world of Isabella, a skilled hunter of rare items. She acquires them through less than legal means, but doesn’t view herself as a thief.
Isabelle is on the run from her past. A past filled with horrors of abuse, but one which she feels she has escaped. She is looking for the some quick cash to run away from the problems chasing her. Escaping the ex that has haunted her nightmares.
Isabella learns of secret immortal creatures lurking in human form within our world. She tries to deny their existence, and resume her normal life, but when being hunted by immortal beings and her mortal but powerful ex, her life seems in constant danger.
This book is a thrill ride from start to finish. Isabella is a strong character, who has faced adversity, and found a way to survive. I recommend this book to fans of dark fantasy, and would warn them of the abuse that might make them uncomfortable.
This is a great fantasy read with a believable character that you want to see find success. Isabella strides forward into new dangers and continues to develop through the craziness that surrounds her.
Isabelle is on the run from her past. A past filled with horrors of abuse, but one which she feels she has escaped. She is looking for the some quick cash to run away from the problems chasing her. Escaping the ex that has haunted her nightmares.
Isabella learns of secret immortal creatures lurking in human form within our world. She tries to deny their existence, and resume her normal life, but when being hunted by immortal beings and her mortal but powerful ex, her life seems in constant danger.
This book is a thrill ride from start to finish. Isabella is a strong character, who has faced adversity, and found a way to survive. I recommend this book to fans of dark fantasy, and would warn them of the abuse that might make them uncomfortable.
This is a great fantasy read with a believable character that you want to see find success. Isabella strides forward into new dangers and continues to develop through the craziness that surrounds her.
February 20, 2021
Ms. Atkinson is a talented author that never fails to deliver an emotional, action packed story. Isabella has a knack for thieving and solving puzzles and she's used all her cunning to stay hidden from the one man who wants to possess her, Scottie. While on her latest score, things go horribly wrong from the beginning and Isabella finds herself in the middle of a paranormal tug of war for a small tile. It just so happens that this isn't just any old tile--this one has everyone, paranormal creatures and humans alike, trying to either possess it or sell it to the highest bidder.
Rune Thief is just the latest book from Ms. Atkinson to draw me in. I loved Isabella. She's street-smart and knows how to make herself scarce when the heat is on. Ms. Atkinson weaves a terrifying and intriguing story that pulls the reader in from the first page and holds on until the very end. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Definitely recommend this one!
Rune Thief is just the latest book from Ms. Atkinson to draw me in. I loved Isabella. She's street-smart and knows how to make herself scarce when the heat is on. Ms. Atkinson weaves a terrifying and intriguing story that pulls the reader in from the first page and holds on until the very end. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Definitely recommend this one!
April 14, 2020
I received this book free as an Arc copy, and all that was asked in return was an honest review. This was an amazing book I really enjoyed this book. World-building is exceptionally well done, and very descriptive. Heat factor was zero, and violence was mild. The storyline was about a woman who got herself into a whole lot of trouble more trouble than she knew what to do with. The main character's name was Isabella, and she is a professional thief. She took something that she should have ran away from, and in doing so created a roller coaster ride full of danger, and scary twists and turns. The plot was very well developed, and left you wanting more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves kick butt heroines, and fast action paced thrills. This is a series so there is more to come, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series it is addictive.
January 6, 2018
Isabella needs this cat burgling job of Incan gold to work. It so does not. When she tries to help a dying man in an alley, she pats him down looking for his phone to call for help, and puts all his belongings in her carry all. Drunk and disoriented, she wakes in her apartment with a small tile that she will try to pawn to escape a vicious ex she has been hiding from. The buyer is not unknown to her, and is dangerous. Thrown into a world she never knew existed, she fights for her life as her ex closes in. Action packed, dark, lots of mystery surrounding the characters, good story. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
April 10, 2019
From beginning to end I found myself wondering if Isabella and her unnamed kitteh would survive. She is always the desperate underdog and I always root for the underdog. As a heroine she is a combination of ingenious and lucky because although she fumbles due to naivete, she manages to draw support and protective characters to her aid. Plus she is always willing to take action to be able to survive each adventure. I can recommend this book because I experienced the draw of the story and I believe other fans of the paranormal genre will find the same enjoyment with the read. I bought the book to experience Ms. Atkinson's writing and wrote the review based on that.
February 8, 2021
Isabella does a cat burgling job for some Incan gold. And then everything goes haywire.
Sis (Isabella) is just a normal crook. But while she may be a thief she is in no way the "bad guy" in this story. And trust me there are plenty of those. From her crazy ex, to the sorcerer, to the assassin.
I won't go into any details because I do not want to spoil this book for anyone else. I will say it moves along slowly, but steadily building until all heck breaks out. And then it just keeps getting crazier and crazier.
I was given this book to review as an ARC, and I must say it is the beginning of a series that I simply cannot wait to read.
Sis (Isabella) is just a normal crook. But while she may be a thief she is in no way the "bad guy" in this story. And trust me there are plenty of those. From her crazy ex, to the sorcerer, to the assassin.
I won't go into any details because I do not want to spoil this book for anyone else. I will say it moves along slowly, but steadily building until all heck breaks out. And then it just keeps getting crazier and crazier.
I was given this book to review as an ARC, and I must say it is the beginning of a series that I simply cannot wait to read.
February 27, 2021
Isabella's story surely should convince one of the error in stealing. The author introduces several "other world beings", all of which are scary dangerous, and not what you'd want on your tail seeking the small bone plate that she stole.
Isabella uses her wits to protect herself and the few people that she truly cares for.
The story is intriguing in that a dominuative young woman moves among these violent peoples using only her wits and her compassion for other less fortunate, to make her way through the minefield she has embraced.
Well worth reading as you will enjoy this author's writings.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
Isabella uses her wits to protect herself and the few people that she truly cares for.
The story is intriguing in that a dominuative young woman moves among these violent peoples using only her wits and her compassion for other less fortunate, to make her way through the minefield she has embraced.
Well worth reading as you will enjoy this author's writings.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
April 3, 2021
When Isabella robs a mansion, she comes away with a drawer of junk and a small tile with strange markings on it. While the small tile is in her possession, Isabella is transported to the land of the fae through a magical barrier that looks like a regular door. While there, she finds out that there ARE such things as werewolves and vampires as well as other strange and supernatural things. This book is full of action. It also brings up the ugly subject of the sexual abuse of a child in the foster care system. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 11, 2020
Never give up!
Isabella has been running from her thug boss, Scottie, for a few years now.
After her latest heist goes badly, she is hunted by paranormal beings who are seeking a tile that she acquired.
What’s a scrappy, never-give-up woman going to do when paranormal thugs, in addition to human ones come after her?
Read this action-filled book for an unusual set of players, unique action solutions, and a surprise ending!
I received a free ARC copy of this book and read it until it was time to get up in the morning. It had me hooked!
Isabella has been running from her thug boss, Scottie, for a few years now.
After her latest heist goes badly, she is hunted by paranormal beings who are seeking a tile that she acquired.
What’s a scrappy, never-give-up woman going to do when paranormal thugs, in addition to human ones come after her?
Read this action-filled book for an unusual set of players, unique action solutions, and a surprise ending!
I received a free ARC copy of this book and read it until it was time to get up in the morning. It had me hooked!
January 3, 2019
Wow! Isabella is the Bomb!
Looking for action? This is the book for you. Never a dull moment. Isabella is looking out for herself and that is a job within itself. Street smart, special skills and a touch of kindness leads for an action packed story. The more she learns about things,the more there is to learn. A great series that will keep you turning the pages to se what she gets herself into next,
Looking for action? This is the book for you. Never a dull moment. Isabella is looking out for herself and that is a job within itself. Street smart, special skills and a touch of kindness leads for an action packed story. The more she learns about things,the more there is to learn. A great series that will keep you turning the pages to se what she gets herself into next,
May 1, 2019
Thea Atkinson is a great author and becoming one of my new favorites. I found this story well written with great characters (my favorite being Isabella). I found the story to be suspenseful and hard to put down. It’s a great start for the series and I’m looking forward to reading further. I recommend this read to anyone who loves paranormal. (I received this book as an arc and am leaving a voluntary honest review)
sampled
February 4, 2018NOTE to self.
The sample was cringe worthy. If it was supposed to be funny or witty (the penis jewelry), it completely failed. The so called action was even worse. Maybe it was supposed to be written that way, but I disliked it. A lot. I couldn't read more than a few pages, I couldn't finish the sample.
The sample was cringe worthy. If it was supposed to be funny or witty (the penis jewelry), it completely failed. The so called action was even worse. Maybe it was supposed to be written that way, but I disliked it. A lot. I couldn't read more than a few pages, I couldn't finish the sample.
February 3, 2019
A great new world to visit.
This is a refreshing angle on the human meets "fantasy" story. Someone never having considered the paranormal possible offers so many fun angles. I love the way the author manages a balance between sugary and graphic. The story isn't all rose colored glasses but it isn't too much for most teens either. I highly recomend both this book and auther.
This is a refreshing angle on the human meets "fantasy" story. Someone never having considered the paranormal possible offers so many fun angles. I love the way the author manages a balance between sugary and graphic. The story isn't all rose colored glasses but it isn't too much for most teens either. I highly recomend both this book and auther.
December 21, 2019
This was an amazing read that once I started I could not put down. It moved along at a very comfortable reading speed, has amazing characters that you cannot help but fall in love with and a story that will keep you interested all the way from page one till the very last page. This is a must read, no doubt about it.
January 1, 2020
Rune Thief: an urban fantasy adventure novel (Isabella Hush Series Book 1) by Thea Atkinson is a wonderful story to read. This is book number one in this wonderful start to a brand new series that I fell in love with. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading aobut urban fantasy.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Readers Link.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Readers Link.
July 24, 2020
This is the first book I’ve read by Thea Atkinson. She didn’t disappoint. The characters are real, believable and flawed, but you can’t help but root for Isabella. The plot kept me guessing and the world building was unique and interesting. If you’re still reading this review, stop already. Open the book and enjoy the story.
July 25, 2020
Absolutely could not put it down! Never knew what would happen next!
Excellent writing so different than anything I have ever read before. The Atkinson I am hooked on your books. You weave a great tale, scary, funny, and so much fun to read. Already purchased the next one and getting ready to read more.
Excellent writing so different than anything I have ever read before. The Atkinson I am hooked on your books. You weave a great tale, scary, funny, and so much fun to read. Already purchased the next one and getting ready to read more.
June 19, 2023
This book is an adventure like no other! It keep me in suspense, there’s an air of intrigue and mystery, of fear and trepidation, of known enemies and unknown ones. I honestly can’t wait for book two, and it didn’t leave on a cliffhanger which I loved!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 16, 2018
This book is full of mystery and intrigue. It will keep you on your toes and guessing. The main character is awesome. Very spicy lol. The plot is very thought out and intricate. Cant wait for the next instalment.
March 13, 2018
Take a chance, read it
This book was slow going, almost stopped. Didn't connect with the heroine. BUT, I slogged through, and by the end of the book, I want more. By the end I started to like her, now, I want the next one.
This book was slow going, almost stopped. Didn't connect with the heroine. BUT, I slogged through, and by the end of the book, I want more. By the end I started to like her, now, I want the next one.
December 4, 2018
I really enjoyed the story, it was complex and didn't follow a trendy trope. Like all authors whose writing is a little different, it took me a few chapters in to get the flow and then I couldn't put it down. Isabella's unique voice made her relatable even when her life is unlike most readers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews