Recommended for fan of "Six of Crows", Arserio's debut is a charming and thrilling heist novel that kept me hooked from start to finish. Every character in the crew assembled by the protagonist Samara, has a unique and interesting role, making the ensemble a delight to venture with. I felt the length and pacing of the book was perfect - no lulls or dips in momentum and the twists always kept the plot moving. If I had to niggle over one thing, it would be the lack of world building and backstory for the Order that the book is named after. However this is something I would love to explore in future novels, as the book very much feels like the start of a series.

Narration was fantastic as one would expect from Arserio and she truly brings the story to life.

4.5 starts (rounded up)

Posted on goodreads 1/5/2025

Heists always go right and nothing unexpected happens. No twist, no turns, just everything to the plan. Always. So when I saw Shiromi Arserio had her own book coming out, narrated by her, I definitely wanted to check it out. "The Order of Grimm" out 14 January 2025.

Magic is a rare thing in this day and age. Unless you happen to be born with it, or be filthy rich. The city of Märchen lays next to the Queendoms and enjoys a bustling "diverse business" market, totally normal to have an assassin's house in the city. Staffed by people who totally were not stolen to be trained and indoctrinated as children. But we are following Samara Dswa, an ex-assassin, who doesn't kill anymore and is trying to take down the man who sold her as a child. When her old sister/friend/current leader of the assassin's has an offer, she desperately wants to not be a trap, Samara must get competent help to pull off a heist. I'm sure it won't go sidewise and have new wrinkles like, thieves guild, city watch, magic, and the like.

Narrated by Shiromi Arserio, thank you for the copy and it was a delight hearing things exactly as the author intended.

Reasons to read:
-Magic heist, I'm going to go in on that
-Cast of characters is fantastic and with their own motivations and quirks
-Some concepts and history based on the Grimm fairy tales but with it being connected to a broader plot
-World has stuff going on in the background that made me intrigued

Cons:
-That person really deserved a stabbing