A review by thesigilwitch
Shadow Thief by Eva Chase

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 This series is probably my favorite from Eva chase. After reading "Chosen by Villains" I decided to come back and listen to the flirting with monsters series again, the shadowkind universe is one of my favorite literary escapes.

TLDR; Shadow Thief is a fun, action-packed, reverse harem, urban fantasy, romance novel about Sorsha, a fierce and independent woman who rescues Shadowkind from hunters and collectors. She is surrounded by a cast of lovable and complex characters, including three love interests who fall into some stereotypical reverse harem tropes but are still enjoyable. The book explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-acceptance, and ends on a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more.

Shadow Thief by Eva Chase is a fun, action-packed, reverse harem, urban fantasy, romance novel. It's the first book in the Flirting with Monsters series, and I'm already hooked! I especially enjoyed the way the author blended existing fantasy themes with her own twist of the Shadow realm. The different types of shadowkind and their abilities were fascinating, and I can't wait to learn more about them in future books.

The protagonist, Sorsha, is independent and fierce while also feeling relatable. Shadow Thief comes from Sorsha’s efforts to rescue Shadowkind that have been captured by hunters or collectors. Sorsha is the kind of person I'd want as a friend because of skills and her acceptance. Her judgments are based on the actions of the humans and shadowkind both.

The love interests fall into some stereotypical reverse harem tropes but I didn’t mind it or find that it took away from enjoying the story. There's Ruse, the succubus who's unsure how to separate love and lust; Thorn, the protective winged who regrets the time he failed; and Snap, the naive but eager, powerful but clueless devourer. 

The whole book showcases how all the main characters care deeply about keeping each other safe at any cost, even if it means safe from themselves. I loved seeing the relationships develop independently between Sorsha and the love interests and the way the author handled the non-paired relationships (ie. third-wheel).

The book does end on a cliffhanger, but it's a good cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more. 

The complete series is available on Audible as an omnibus if you want to go smoothly from one book to the next.