C.L. Stone has done it again.

“I hated pickpocketing. I hated feeling like a thief.”

Living in a hotel room with their drunk of a father, Kayli Winchester and her brother, Wil, don't have an easy life. Sometimes the hunger can get too much and they always seem to be a dollar short. Of course, that's not too surprising since their father spends any money he gets on drink and their mother left when they were younger.

Kayli has had to step up. Dropping out of school years ago, she's tried to find work to keep her family supported but without any qualifications, it's not the most profiting.

Now, she's a thief. A petty pickpocket but she gets the extra she needs.

We all have choices and Kayli certainly doesn't like this one. However, she's got the knack for it and it has done them well.

“I was hunting a thief, and I found a beautiful wreck.”

But when a run-in with a group of boys from the Academy sets her up, Kayli is brought in and finds herself pickpocketing for new game. Her sly skills are going to be useful for once though she begins to doubt what exactly these guys are up to and who they really are.

And of course, what is the Academy?

She wasn't planning on staying with them, though her curiosity was peaked, but when the mission goes too far, Kayli must stay with the boys for protection and caution.

“Kayli had slipped into their group and fell in so naturally, it was like himself all over again. No, Kevin was wrong. Kayli belonged with them.”

Kayli is pretty smart even though she's a drop out. She's quick and witty and soon she puts pieces of the group together. And for a group like this, that can be dangerous, a threat.

But as the team work together, it's evident that the group enjoy Kayli's company and for her, she's never felt more included or belonged to anything before. They can see Kayli as one of them, regardless of her background. She is like them way more than she knows. Her instinct and quick thinking makes her ideal for the kind of work they do and they can tell she feels the rush of their style. She gets it.

"As if I could find the courage to tell him the truth; that I felt it too, it was just much more complicated."

Marc, Raven, Brandon, Corey, and Axel want Kayli to stay. But for more reasons than the others know. And things get complicated as Kayli is overwhelmed by their loyalty and desire for her to trust them and learn to depend on them without feeling ashamed. Then there's Coalter who's on the opposite side..Feelings are all over the place and almost uneasy as secrets are kept, but for how long until they all figure it out?

"I needed to find out I was wanted for who I was. And I didn't know who I was outside of Kayli the thief."

Kayli has her weak moments but she makes the decision to step away first to find herself once again.

Only things aren't the same at home in the hotel room when it appears that Wil has not returned in days...

"Despite her tough outer shell, she was all heart."

YES I love these books, thank you C.L. Stone!

Of course, I can't help comparing this to the Ghost Bird series, and at first I wasn't sure if it was as good, but Kayli's character is certainly contrasting to Sang's which was so fun to read!
She could be strong but she had a heart, even when she was pickpocketing, she tried to steal from those who appeared wealthy or who wouldn't need the money as much.

Marc, Raven, Brandon, Corey, Axel and Kevin also were great characters! Your typical Academy boys, all the hunk and cockiness and they get along great with Kayli as unlike Sang, she can handle them - for the most part.

Another addicting read with the Academy guys, can't wait to read more.

I am soo addicted.

“Little thief, don’t worry about it. I’ve got you now.”