The Neverborn Thief – Andrew Najberg

5 stars

I never really read YA when I was younger, so YA now takes a lot to impress me and make me want to read it. Andrew completely knocked it out of the park! He took me in from the very first page, and before I knew it, the book was over, and I was staring at the back cover in shock.

The Neverborn Thief is a compelling homage to growing up and leaving behind the innocence of our childhood for the harsh realities of adulthood. We follow a young boy named Connor, who has half of his shadow stolen. In order to try and get it back, he has to travel to the Shadowlands, but he’s on a time crunch. If he can’t retrieve his half-shadow in three days, he’ll become Shadowless and slowly lose everything that makes him who he is.

The Shadowlands has to be one of the most frustrating and captivating places I’ve ever read. If I ever had to go to the Shadowlands (can’t wait to try my luck on that TNTD book when it comes out), I’d be gone in a heartbeat, hands down! You can’t trust anyone, any deal you make is held to the highest standard and subject to malicious compliance with prejudice, and nothing is as it seems at first glance. But there’s so much lore and backstory that Andrew hints at…I couldn’t look away. I had to keep reading and learn everything I could about this new world!

AND THE EMOTIONS! I was so invested in these characters, and watching them grow throughout the book was something special. That twist, though….I did not see that coming! I sat staring at the pages for several minutes, trying to work out if I needed to throw the book across the room or cry for the heartbreak. What an important moment for the characters, though. And the ending! Absolute perfection.

Even if you don’t think you’re a YA person, there’s so much more to this and so many important takeaways. It’s worth the read, believe me. And, Andrew? I’ll never forgive you for those hands….