The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner & Ruined by Paula Morris

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

"I can steal anything."

After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task -- to steal a hidden treasure from another land.

To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.

Ruined by Paula Morris

Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans. She's staying in a creepy house with her aunt, who reads tarot cards. And at the snooty prep school, a pack of filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey gives Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda.

Then one night, among the oak trees in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to show Rebecca the nooks and crannies of New Orleans. There's just one catch.

Lisette is a ghost.

A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle.

As Rebecca is drawn deeper into a web of old curses and cryptic customs, she also uncovers startling truths about her own history. Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?

I highly recommend both. They're fast, enticing reads and you end up racing through simply to see how they're going to end and both have whalloping plot twists, though I found I was guessing at Ruined's twist about halfway through and was eager for it to be revealed.

The Thief is the first novel in a series, but it can very easily stand alone and I find that to be a good thing in it's favor. There's plenty of room for it to continue, but there aren't any glaring cliff hangers left that might irritate a casual reader. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the next three in the series as soon as I can.

Is there a fandom for these books yet? I feel like there must be somewhere, hidden. Tell me I'm not wrong.