The Academy: Thief (The Scarab Beetle Series #1) by C.L. Stone

Thief (The Scarab Beetle Series #1)
by C.L. Stone
Release Date: February 26th 2014

Rate: Average + (3.5 stars)

Synopsis:

Kayli Winchester is a dirt-poor girl living out of a hotel, forced to be the parent for a drunken father and teenage brother who she’s desperate to keep in school. The only way she scrapes by is to utilize her one skill: pickpocketing. But even though she’s a thief she has a moral code: no kids or old ladies, only targets who can defend themselves. Not that they see her coming…

Thinking she’s been working under the radar, Kayli has no idea The Academy has been watching and taking notice. Now a team that needs her skill has offered her a way out of her predicament and it’s her last chance: work with them, or face jail time. Kayli resists at first, but slowly the boys reveal they can be trusted. With Marc, the straight man, Raven, the bad-boy Russian, Corey and Brandon the twins as different as night and day, and Axel their stoic leader, there’s a lot Kayli can learn from these Academy guys about living on the edge of the law. If only she can stay on the good side instead of the bad.

Especially when the job they offer her is more than any of them bargained for. After it’s done, the hunters have become the hunted and their target is now after Kayli. The Academy boys do their best to keep her hidden, but a thief like Kayli will never sit still for long.

Meet an all-new Academy team in Thief, the beginning of the Scarab Beetle series.

Warning: This is a new adult series. Readers of the other Academy series may need some caution as this series will contain mature sexual and violent situations and themes.

The Academy: Thief is a pretty hot read, full of action, gorgeous, smart and badass boys and intense scenes throughout the story. I enjoyed readying about Kayli, but The Academy boys really stole my heart.

The plot was full of action and thrills. I was expecting less action, so it was a grateful surprise to read about Kayli wild side and her interactions with the boys that always seems to put her in danger.

Kayli's been forced to pickpocket in order to keep her younger brother out of trouble and to have some money to pay for food and for a room in the motel they live. She has a bad home situation due to a drunk father who does nothing to take care of his kids. Kayli feels bad for what she does and she always tries to steal from people who won't need as much money as they carry with them. Oh, and she's an unusual thief, since she always leaves the wallets in visible places so people won't loose their valuable items. She's definitely a thief with a good heart.

However, the Academy enters her life in a rush and she ends up meeting five boys that would make her feel comfortable, lovable and like family. However, the Academy also means danger and they need Kayli to use her unusual skills to get some bad guys.

As in every story written by C.L. Stone, the Academy and what they do still remains a secret. As a fan of the Academy series, I loved to see a different story and a different academy team. The boys each have a strong personality and they are useful for the Academy for their different skills. 

Kayli was a surprise. She's a thief and she has a strong temper that would make the boys crazy. She's strong, selfless and determined. Her character is kind of intense and from time to time you can't understand what's going on in her head, although you're reading from her point of view. So, you can also call her unexpected. Her attraction to all the guys left me a little bit shocked. I could handle it, though. However, what shocked me was her attraction to every single guy. Even the bad guy?! That was too much for my taste.

The boys were what I know can only describe as Academy boys. Axel's would be the leader. But a silent leader. I saw him as one of those crazy geniuses. Always saying smart things, but with a weird attitude. 

Raven's the playful and scariest one. He's fierce, protective and is always playing with Kayli to smack each other. He's the funniest Academy boy to me and have a crush on him.

Marc was the actual leader. The others were always relaying on him and waiting for him to say something. It also struck me that he was the one that see through Kayli's façade. He was more serious than the others, without losing his playful side.

Corey's the kind one. He makes being nerd beyond hot and is so sweet that every time he's in a scene you just smile by knowing you're going to read about him. I love his interactions with the main character and although we don't know if he's gay or no, would love to see these two in a romantic way.

Brandon's Corey's twin and the judgmental one. At first you don't like him for how harsh he is with the main character and his attitude was the total opposite to his twin. He's one of those hot and cold guys that leaves the reader with so much mixed feelings. Once you get these two get closer, their relationship changes completely and you see a softer side of Brandon that would make you fall for him.

I liked how the author tried to keep that "Academy" style vivid in this story. I understood so much better both this book and the Academy series after reading all the books. You understand so many things! You just want to scream like a lunatic.

As always, the first books are kind of trying to explain all the situation and I believe that the following books in the Scarab Beetle Series would blow my mind just like the other Academy books. In the mean time I recommend this book to all Academy fans and to those readers who like being surrounded with a bunch of hot and funny guys with a big secret. Also to those readers who like spy thrillers. C.L. Stone is a great author and one of my biggest discoveries of this year.

I write things. Usually about cute boys and uncomfortable situations.