Book Review: Star Crossed

TITLE: Star Crossed
First in new series
AUTHOR: Elizabeth C. Bunce
PUBLISHED: 2010
CATEGORY: Young adult
GENRE: fantasy, adventure, mystery, drama
SHORT PREMISE: A thief gets caught up in political schemes
MY REVIEW: Digger has just seen her partner get killed and knows she's in deep trouble if she is found. Through happenstance she goes undercover with a wealthy family but ends up being blackmailed into spying against them.
I have never read Bunce's more well know A Curse As Dark As Gold. Now I really want to because if it's as good as this, then it's going to be excellent. This book is not perfect, sometimes it drags, I wish Phandre had been less two-dimensional and it sometimes felt like things came too easily for Digger. But on the whole, this book is fantastic and I don't know why it didn't become more popular. It has a great fantasy world-building that I adore, the writing is fantastic, there's a great sense of humor to it, it explores shades of gray, there are secrets and twists that I wasn't expecting as well as political intrigue and a sense that something big is coming. And this is just the first book.
There is a sequel called Liar's Moon coming out later this year and I have to say I can't wait. I am definitely checking out more of this author's work.
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of A Curse As Dark As Gold, fantasy fans, Tamora Pierce fans
MY RATING: Four and a half out of Five letters