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The Art Thieves
Angel Wilson (LawAngel@IBLO.gov)
Stevie Henry (shenry@gmail.com)
Thanks for coming to see me; but by the time you read this, it will be too late. No one will have started to panic, yet; but in less than two months nothing will be the same. What came first, The Chicken or the Egg Flu? I wish it mattered. But let’s just say, maybe go back to wearing a mask, bathing in sanitizer, and avoid birds and eggs for a bit…
I did not kill my brother. I did quite the opposite, really.
It’s the year 2052. Stevie Henry is a Cherokee girl working at a museum in Texas, trying to save up enough money to go to college. The world around her is in a cycle of drought and superstorms, ice and fire … but people get by. But it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
When a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future -- and telling her what is to come -- she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.
From the author of the Walter Award-winning Man Made Monsters comes a YA novel that conjures our futures in startling life – the ones that we are headed towards, and the ones we can still work towards.
Stevie Henry (shenry@gmail.com)
Thanks for coming to see me; but by the time you read this, it will be too late. No one will have started to panic, yet; but in less than two months nothing will be the same. What came first, The Chicken or the Egg Flu? I wish it mattered. But let’s just say, maybe go back to wearing a mask, bathing in sanitizer, and avoid birds and eggs for a bit…
I did not kill my brother. I did quite the opposite, really.
It’s the year 2052. Stevie Henry is a Cherokee girl working at a museum in Texas, trying to save up enough money to go to college. The world around her is in a cycle of drought and superstorms, ice and fire … but people get by. But it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
When a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future -- and telling her what is to come -- she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.
From the author of the Walter Award-winning Man Made Monsters comes a YA novel that conjures our futures in startling life – the ones that we are headed towards, and the ones we can still work towards.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2024
About the author
Andrea L. Rogers
11 books113 followersAndrea L. Rogers is a writer from Tulsa, Oklahoma and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She graduated from the Institute of American Indian and Alaskan Arts with an MFA in Creative Writing. Currently, she is splitting time between Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she is a Ph.d. student at the University Arkansas and Fort Worth, Texas, where her family lives. Her book Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story was named an NPR Best Book of 202) by both NPR and American Indians in Children’s Literature.
Ms. Rogers is on the Board of the Fort Worth Public Library.
A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she is currently revising a middle grade mystery, writing an adult literary horror novel, and working on a series of picture book manuscripts.
All text and images © Andrea L. Rogers 2018 – 2021, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
Ms. Rogers is on the Board of the Fort Worth Public Library.
A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she is currently revising a middle grade mystery, writing an adult literary horror novel, and working on a series of picture book manuscripts.
All text and images © Andrea L. Rogers 2018 – 2021, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 10, 2024
A YA dystopian scifi perfect for fans of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower.
😷
It’s the year 2052 and although climate change has affected everyone with sandstorms, droughts, ice and fire, Stevie is managing to get by. This Cherokee teen lives in Texas with her parents and sickly little brother who’s allergic to most everything. When a guy shows up one day and tells her he’s from the future, she can’t believe him. It’s hard to ignore the truth when he’s able to predict things that happen so when he warns Stevie about a pandemic that’s coming, all she wants to do is protect the ones she loves.
🦠
This was fantastic! I truly enjoyed pacing and characters set amidst the backdrop of a society crumbling due to climate change and now a pandemic. I want this #book to get all the attention because bookstagram is sleeping on it! @andrealrogers
CW: death, grief, terminal illness, cancer, pandemic, climate change, ped*phila, car accident sexual assault, sexual harassment
4.5 ⭐️
😷
It’s the year 2052 and although climate change has affected everyone with sandstorms, droughts, ice and fire, Stevie is managing to get by. This Cherokee teen lives in Texas with her parents and sickly little brother who’s allergic to most everything. When a guy shows up one day and tells her he’s from the future, she can’t believe him. It’s hard to ignore the truth when he’s able to predict things that happen so when he warns Stevie about a pandemic that’s coming, all she wants to do is protect the ones she loves.
🦠
This was fantastic! I truly enjoyed pacing and characters set amidst the backdrop of a society crumbling due to climate change and now a pandemic. I want this #book to get all the attention because bookstagram is sleeping on it! @andrealrogers
CW: death, grief, terminal illness, cancer, pandemic, climate change, ped*phila, car accident sexual assault, sexual harassment
4.5 ⭐️
Read
September 19, 2024an engaging work of cherokee futurism! felt like 'parable of the sower' in its looseness, focus on mundanity in the midst of apocolypse, and tenderness. way to go!!
October 25, 2024
I really loved this book. I like post apocalyptic and cli-fi narratives, and I am really loving what Indigenous authors are doing with these genres. I enjoyed the conversations about what kind of art is worth saving and what roles museums have in saving or rebuilding culture after catastrophe contrasted with the role museums play in current settler colonial practices. This is certainly a youth novel, but the introduction to these concepts for young people is very well done. I grew very attached to the characters, and found the representation of community very comforting in a world that was quickly falling apart. There's also a cute little romance. Probably the best youth book I've read this year.
October 21, 2024
The author of the excellent Manmade Monsters created this engaging story of Cherokee futurism. It’s 2052 and teen Stevie is working at the Texas Cherokee Art Museum when she meets visiting artist Adam. She’s attracted to Adam, but suspicious when some of his backstory appears to be fabricated. Stevie is right - Adam is not really from Costa Rica. He’s from the future, come as part of a large group of time travelers returning to the past to secure original works of art against a coming climate change apocalypse. Take time to savor the excellent writing that fuels the propulsive storytelling. EARC from Edelweiss.
August 25, 2024
This is a Native American YA story about a young photographer who works for an art museum in Texas while she is waiting to start college. It involves fantasy and time travel as well as the gratuitous child dying of a terminal illness, but otherwise is a unique and creative story.
October 3, 2024
Thank you to Levine Querido for the gifted copy.
This book was great! It was 5⭐️ for me. If you are into speculative fiction & futurism then you are going to want to add this to your TBR ASAP. Inspired by Octavia Butler’s Afro-futurism, Rogers builds a near-future world that can be described as Cherokee futurism.
It is set in the near future where weather disasters and extremes are now the norm. But they live a pretty normal life considering the times. Her mother is intent on making sure the family is prepared in case of emergencies. She has a little brother, Levi, who is Black Cherokee, whom she loves very much and protects since he has bad food allergies.
But Steve’s life takes a turn one day when a mysterious young man appears at her museum job, an “indigenous” artist from Costa Rica. But is he an artist as he says he is or is he an art thief?
The book is divided into chapters named after song titles and the book is divided in half like a vinyl record of side an and side b. I love that the chapters are short, it keeps it mid-paced for reading. The playlist and the reading list alone will have you busy after you finish reading this book the first time.
I am now an official super fan of Andrea L. Rogers’ writing! Man Made Monsters was such a good book and it even had some futuristic chapters in it. Now she has hooked me with The Art Thieves. I love her writing style and how she unveils plot. One thing that you can bet on doing is returning to whatever front matter she has provided once you get into the meat of the book. There are always clues and connections hiding in plain site that once you connect them with the plot will make you go 🤯.
If you love to annotate books, you will enjoy engaging in a few quests. Let me set you up. Analyze the following in the book:
- Significance of stars and the sky
- Importance of art and humanity
- Music and vinyl records
- Book references
This book was great! It was 5⭐️ for me. If you are into speculative fiction & futurism then you are going to want to add this to your TBR ASAP. Inspired by Octavia Butler’s Afro-futurism, Rogers builds a near-future world that can be described as Cherokee futurism.
It is set in the near future where weather disasters and extremes are now the norm. But they live a pretty normal life considering the times. Her mother is intent on making sure the family is prepared in case of emergencies. She has a little brother, Levi, who is Black Cherokee, whom she loves very much and protects since he has bad food allergies.
But Steve’s life takes a turn one day when a mysterious young man appears at her museum job, an “indigenous” artist from Costa Rica. But is he an artist as he says he is or is he an art thief?
The book is divided into chapters named after song titles and the book is divided in half like a vinyl record of side an and side b. I love that the chapters are short, it keeps it mid-paced for reading. The playlist and the reading list alone will have you busy after you finish reading this book the first time.
I am now an official super fan of Andrea L. Rogers’ writing! Man Made Monsters was such a good book and it even had some futuristic chapters in it. Now she has hooked me with The Art Thieves. I love her writing style and how she unveils plot. One thing that you can bet on doing is returning to whatever front matter she has provided once you get into the meat of the book. There are always clues and connections hiding in plain site that once you connect them with the plot will make you go 🤯.
If you love to annotate books, you will enjoy engaging in a few quests. Let me set you up. Analyze the following in the book:
- Significance of stars and the sky
- Importance of art and humanity
- Music and vinyl records
- Book references
July 11, 2024
I was lucky enough to have received an ARC copy from my local indie bookstore. I don’t have the appropriate words to describe the beauty of this book. Beginning in the year 2052, Rogers weaves a tapestry outlined with droughts, fires, and destructive natural disasters. This paints a bleak picture, but the core of the story is love. Love is the thread that connects every character to each other and to the world. Love is displayed in a multitude of forms. Love for siblings, love for family, love for neighbors, love for community, love for friends, love for art, love for the Earth, love for humanity, love for all living creatures, love which enables you to heal and forgive, self-love, and of course, there is a timeless romantic love that will satisfy the readers of the genre. So much of science fiction is focused on constant colonization. Rogers adapts the genre to a Cherokee perspective, and begs the question, “What are we leaving for the people who choose to or are forced to stay behind?” Intergenerational equity is a theme that is brought up, and toyed with in a unique manner with the use of a time travel plot. There are so many fantastic book recommendations infused into the pages, many of which are on my list to read. This convinced me to move them up the list and read them sooner. Every chapter is labeled with a song title, and all of the songs completed form a hypothetical vinyl record. The music recommendations fit the chapters wonderfully and make for a wholly immersive experience. Listening to the last song after you finish the book will cause your tears to finally spill over. You will even learn some Cherokee words and culture, along with Chickasaw and Choctaw. I won’t forget this beautiful book any time soon.
July 22, 2024
I receive an ARC of this book!! The official release date is Oct. 8th!
THAT’S IT?? Ah man, I don’t even know where to start. To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when getting into this book. I thought I had a general idea, but I was way off and I think that honestly worked out for the better. When the mid-book-twist was revealed, I was like HUH? I’m so glad I kept reading because I enjoyed the development of the plot so much! The character’s dynamic did fall a BIT flat for me but in the end, I was interested in reading how it would all end for the FMC. There were also a few characters that were introduced but were quickly forgotten? However, I did like the sense of community that they added to the FMC’s story. The ending was so cute but also left me with so many questions?? The author does hint that this isn’t the end, so we will see!
If the brief synopsis sounded interesting and you were considering picking up this book, I’d say DO IT! I WILL be picking up a copy of the official book when it comes out Oct. 8th!
THAT’S IT?? Ah man, I don’t even know where to start. To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when getting into this book. I thought I had a general idea, but I was way off and I think that honestly worked out for the better. When the mid-book-twist was revealed, I was like HUH? I’m so glad I kept reading because I enjoyed the development of the plot so much! The character’s dynamic did fall a BIT flat for me but in the end, I was interested in reading how it would all end for the FMC. There were also a few characters that were introduced but were quickly forgotten? However, I did like the sense of community that they added to the FMC’s story. The ending was so cute but also left me with so many questions?? The author does hint that this isn’t the end, so we will see!
If the brief synopsis sounded interesting and you were considering picking up this book, I’d say DO IT! I WILL be picking up a copy of the official book when it comes out Oct. 8th!
September 1, 2024
This book blew me away. It is hard to explain the book or summarize it without giving away anything, but I highly recommend it.
September 14, 2024
Read as an ARC from Netgalley
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were interesting, loveable and well-rounded and the story was captivating, if a little disjointed. For the longest time, while I was reading it, I was convinced that I would rate this book 5 stars, because I felt truly immersed and emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys in a way I hadn't experienced in a long time. However, the ending felt far too abrupt and unsatisfying for me, which somewhat ruined my enjoyment of the book.
The world in which "The Art Thieves" takes place is very well fleshed out. There are little bits and pieces of world-building that are inconspicuously woven into the text, which really help the world feel real. Things like the fact that the face on the 20 USD is now Harriet Tubman, or that the heat caused by global warming has necessitated changes in how manual labour is scheduled add an extra sprinkle of colour to an already very colourful world.
What I struggled with a bit was the pacing of the story. While it is difficult to assign it to any one genre, it is probably best described as YA dystopian sci-fi with a dash of mystery. However, this only really becomes clear around page 100, before then there is very little indication of a sci-fi, dystopian or mystery story. It feels like the story really only starts after the first 100 pages. Personally, I did not mind this, as I found the writing so immersive that I had no issues staying motivated to keep reading on, but others may not have the same experience and get frustrated during this long stretch.
Another pacing issue concerns the second half of the book. Scenes and actions in the first half were described in enough detail, without overstaying its welcome, to be immersive, the second half felt a bit rushed. Stevie's trip to Philadelphia is one example where I felt like everything went a bit too fast, which broke the immersion quite a bit. I also felt like the incident with the space station and the satellites went by way too fast and almost seemed as if it had 0 repercussions. Adam predicted the event, Stevie saw it happen, it was on the news like once, and then it's pretty much never discussed again. It had such little impact on the plot that thought that it was hinting that Adam was not actually from the future and Stevie had somehow just imagined the incident. If that was indeed the intention, then I don't think it was conveyed very well, since I cannot recall any other events that would point towards such an interpretation.
The end was unfortunately the part of the book that I struggled with the most. Perhaps this is in part attributable to the fact that I had so fallen in love with the world from the book that I did not want to leave it. I suspect, however, that it was mainly due to the fact that I was much more emotionally invested in the relationships between Stevie and her family and her friends, than in the one between Stevie and Adam. Yet the way the book ends very clearly puts the emphasis on this latter relationship, which I did not find as interesting. I would have much preferred if it had ended with Stevie arriving at her house in the Cherokee nation, where she finally gets to reunite with her mother and other relatives after having been apart, unable to contact each other for so long.
Ultimately, I did still enjoy this book very much and am happy to have read it. I loved going along on Stevie's journey, I loved getting to know Levi and Jess and Loren and Paka and all the other wonderful people inhabiting this world. It takes special skill to build a dystopia so beautiful that the reader regrets having to leave it behind.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were interesting, loveable and well-rounded and the story was captivating, if a little disjointed. For the longest time, while I was reading it, I was convinced that I would rate this book 5 stars, because I felt truly immersed and emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys in a way I hadn't experienced in a long time. However, the ending felt far too abrupt and unsatisfying for me, which somewhat ruined my enjoyment of the book.
The world in which "The Art Thieves" takes place is very well fleshed out. There are little bits and pieces of world-building that are inconspicuously woven into the text, which really help the world feel real. Things like the fact that the face on the 20 USD is now Harriet Tubman, or that the heat caused by global warming has necessitated changes in how manual labour is scheduled add an extra sprinkle of colour to an already very colourful world.
What I struggled with a bit was the pacing of the story. While it is difficult to assign it to any one genre, it is probably best described as YA dystopian sci-fi with a dash of mystery. However, this only really becomes clear around page 100, before then there is very little indication of a sci-fi, dystopian or mystery story. It feels like the story really only starts after the first 100 pages. Personally, I did not mind this, as I found the writing so immersive that I had no issues staying motivated to keep reading on, but others may not have the same experience and get frustrated during this long stretch.
Another pacing issue concerns the second half of the book. Scenes and actions in the first half were described in enough detail, without overstaying its welcome, to be immersive, the second half felt a bit rushed. Stevie's trip to Philadelphia is one example where I felt like everything went a bit too fast, which broke the immersion quite a bit. I also felt like the incident with the space station and the satellites went by way too fast and almost seemed as if it had 0 repercussions. Adam predicted the event, Stevie saw it happen, it was on the news like once, and then it's pretty much never discussed again. It had such little impact on the plot that thought that it was hinting that Adam was not actually from the future and Stevie had somehow just imagined the incident. If that was indeed the intention, then I don't think it was conveyed very well, since I cannot recall any other events that would point towards such an interpretation.
The end was unfortunately the part of the book that I struggled with the most. Perhaps this is in part attributable to the fact that I had so fallen in love with the world from the book that I did not want to leave it. I suspect, however, that it was mainly due to the fact that I was much more emotionally invested in the relationships between Stevie and her family and her friends, than in the one between Stevie and Adam. Yet the way the book ends very clearly puts the emphasis on this latter relationship, which I did not find as interesting. I would have much preferred if it had ended with Stevie arriving at her house in the Cherokee nation, where she finally gets to reunite with her mother and other relatives after having been apart, unable to contact each other for so long.
Ultimately, I did still enjoy this book very much and am happy to have read it. I loved going along on Stevie's journey, I loved getting to know Levi and Jess and Loren and Paka and all the other wonderful people inhabiting this world. It takes special skill to build a dystopia so beautiful that the reader regrets having to leave it behind.
September 7, 2024
eARC Review
~ Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5
~ Tropes: Time Travel, Dystopian Future, Family Ties, Indigenous History/Culture, Second Chance
~ Spice: 0 (it's YA)
Let me preface this entire review by saying I loved learning about the Indigenous peoples and culture through this story. I think that it was the best part of the book, and it taught me so many things that I didn’t know, and has really piqued my interest in expanding my knowledge of the subject.
While I think that The Art Thieves had many important messages regarding racism, environmentalism, prejudice and social constructs, the story fell flat for me. I agreed with all of the moral topics that were broached in the book, but everything about the plot seemed very lacklustre.
The pacing was very odd. The beginning of the book seemed extremely slow, and seemed meaningless compared to the second half of the book, when things really begin to kick off. But then once we hit the peak in the book, things speed up to an unnecessary pace, leaving the plot to be unbelievable and bare. I felt like so many things were brushed over which needed much more of a build up, or explanation for the reader, to be as impactful as the author hoped they would be. For example, the huge reveal in the middle, was just put out there suddenly; out of the blue, and stated in a way that came across as “well it’s like this because I said so”, and not in a crescendo of tension, questions and emotions that would have made sense.
To begin with, we are introduced to a myriad of characters that sometimes have important roles in the story and sometimes don’t. While I understand that this was most likely done to portray a feeling of community surrounding Stevie, it definitely took away precious page time from important characters like her Dad, Adam and Loren, who I thought had the potential (and were meant) to be really impactful characters in the story, but turned out to lack depth in the long run. Many of the characters we meet in the beginning of the book are never mentioned again. I would have much preferred more in depth character building for the more prominent characters in the whole book.
The writing just seemed a bit choppy to me, like I was missing pages of clarification or explanation to help world build and expand on the characters. Some characters even had really metaphorical dialogue that seemed important at the moment, but then never amounted to anything other than a fancy bit of writing in the middle of an otherwise very simple novel. Jess seemed to be the main culprit of this, saying foreboding and auspicious phrases about half way through the book, only to hardly have any more dialogue and mention after that.
All in all, I think that this book has a huge amount of potential. There are so many important topics touched upon in this book that I can’t truly write it off as unenjoyable. It just felt like I was reading a first draft instead of a 99% finished book.
~ Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
~ Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5
~ Tropes: Time Travel, Dystopian Future, Family Ties, Indigenous History/Culture, Second Chance
~ Spice: 0 (it's YA)
Let me preface this entire review by saying I loved learning about the Indigenous peoples and culture through this story. I think that it was the best part of the book, and it taught me so many things that I didn’t know, and has really piqued my interest in expanding my knowledge of the subject.
While I think that The Art Thieves had many important messages regarding racism, environmentalism, prejudice and social constructs, the story fell flat for me. I agreed with all of the moral topics that were broached in the book, but everything about the plot seemed very lacklustre.
The pacing was very odd. The beginning of the book seemed extremely slow, and seemed meaningless compared to the second half of the book, when things really begin to kick off. But then once we hit the peak in the book, things speed up to an unnecessary pace, leaving the plot to be unbelievable and bare. I felt like so many things were brushed over which needed much more of a build up, or explanation for the reader, to be as impactful as the author hoped they would be. For example, the huge reveal in the middle, was just put out there suddenly; out of the blue, and stated in a way that came across as “well it’s like this because I said so”, and not in a crescendo of tension, questions and emotions that would have made sense.
To begin with, we are introduced to a myriad of characters that sometimes have important roles in the story and sometimes don’t. While I understand that this was most likely done to portray a feeling of community surrounding Stevie, it definitely took away precious page time from important characters like her Dad, Adam and Loren, who I thought had the potential (and were meant) to be really impactful characters in the story, but turned out to lack depth in the long run. Many of the characters we meet in the beginning of the book are never mentioned again. I would have much preferred more in depth character building for the more prominent characters in the whole book.
The writing just seemed a bit choppy to me, like I was missing pages of clarification or explanation to help world build and expand on the characters. Some characters even had really metaphorical dialogue that seemed important at the moment, but then never amounted to anything other than a fancy bit of writing in the middle of an otherwise very simple novel. Jess seemed to be the main culprit of this, saying foreboding and auspicious phrases about half way through the book, only to hardly have any more dialogue and mention after that.
All in all, I think that this book has a huge amount of potential. There are so many important topics touched upon in this book that I can’t truly write it off as unenjoyable. It just felt like I was reading a first draft instead of a 99% finished book.
~ Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 21, 2024
BOOK: THE ART THIEVES
AUTHOR: ANDREA L. ROGERS
PUB DATE: 8TH OCTOBER 2024
🧍🏽♀️🖼
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
This is the first time I'll be reading about a Native American from a Native American's POV and it was really nice and a wonderful learning experience. I learned a lot about the Cherokee culture. To be very honest, this was my favorite part of the book. That and the description of climate change and the way the earth deteriorated. It's something I could relate to considering the world we're living in now.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
I loved the beginning of the book, especially the emails Stevie sent to her aunt, it made me expect so much. Unfortunately, I felt it didn't deliver. I was expecting a description if the Apocalypse, but I only got one of the matters preceding it. That was what I expected the book to be all about.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
But, I did get an insight into Stevie's life, beloved sister, friend and daughter. I really liked Stevie, she was a good person. Most importantly, I admired what she did for her baby brother, Levi. I liked reading about her relationship with others, her parents, friends and Adam.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
I would have liked Adam's POV too. I feel like most of the plot of the book was lost because we only had Stevie's. I liked Adam as a friend, but I felt like both of them didn't have chemistry as lovers.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
I don't really have a good understanding of arts, I just think some are pretty and move on with my life. Hence, I can't understand why someone would come back in time only to steal art pieces when they are other things that could have been done. So, I didn't like it.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
I also didn't like the ending because it was confusing and I needed some clarifications. And I didn't get the Apocalypse.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
I gave this book three stars because I liked the premise, the characters, part of the storyline and I was able to finish it.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
AUTHOR: ANDREA L. ROGERS
PUB DATE: 8TH OCTOBER 2024
🧍🏽♀️🖼
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
This is the first time I'll be reading about a Native American from a Native American's POV and it was really nice and a wonderful learning experience. I learned a lot about the Cherokee culture. To be very honest, this was my favorite part of the book. That and the description of climate change and the way the earth deteriorated. It's something I could relate to considering the world we're living in now.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
I loved the beginning of the book, especially the emails Stevie sent to her aunt, it made me expect so much. Unfortunately, I felt it didn't deliver. I was expecting a description if the Apocalypse, but I only got one of the matters preceding it. That was what I expected the book to be all about.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
But, I did get an insight into Stevie's life, beloved sister, friend and daughter. I really liked Stevie, she was a good person. Most importantly, I admired what she did for her baby brother, Levi. I liked reading about her relationship with others, her parents, friends and Adam.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
I would have liked Adam's POV too. I feel like most of the plot of the book was lost because we only had Stevie's. I liked Adam as a friend, but I felt like both of them didn't have chemistry as lovers.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
I don't really have a good understanding of arts, I just think some are pretty and move on with my life. Hence, I can't understand why someone would come back in time only to steal art pieces when they are other things that could have been done. So, I didn't like it.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
I also didn't like the ending because it was confusing and I needed some clarifications. And I didn't get the Apocalypse.
🖼🧍🏽♀️
I gave this book three stars because I liked the premise, the characters, part of the storyline and I was able to finish it.
🧍🏽♀️🖼
October 1, 2024
This was the second book of Andrea L. Rogers that I've read. It was definitely a lot. I had to take breaks because some of the events in the book did trigger past trauma. One thing I will always appreciate is when Indigenous Authors acknowledge in their writing that yes, there is racism in the Native Community, especially those who are mixed with Black. As someone who is Indigenous mixed with Black, I experienced it, and honestly, it's one of the reasons why when I was a teenager, I stopped participating in the PowWow circle. I loved that Stevie stood up for her brother and tried to protect him from everything.
The mission that Adam and others had of trying to reclaim Indigenous items from museums reminded me of V.Castro's book Immortal Pleasures as well as Angeline Boulley's book Warrior Girl Unearthed. Why should Indigenous items, bones, and history be in the hands of private collectors on display in museums instead of with their tribes, their family?
There are events in the book that can be relatable to everyone, doesn't matter your ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. But there are also lessons within the book, a window into what past generations of Indigenous people have gone through and what the current generation still deals with. I don't want to give spoilers because this book deserves to be read in its entirety and not summarized.
Migwétch
The mission that Adam and others had of trying to reclaim Indigenous items from museums reminded me of V.Castro's book Immortal Pleasures as well as Angeline Boulley's book Warrior Girl Unearthed. Why should Indigenous items, bones, and history be in the hands of private collectors on display in museums instead of with their tribes, their family?
There are events in the book that can be relatable to everyone, doesn't matter your ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. But there are also lessons within the book, a window into what past generations of Indigenous people have gone through and what the current generation still deals with. I don't want to give spoilers because this book deserves to be read in its entirety and not summarized.
Migwétch
October 8, 2024
Thank you Hear Our Voices Tours for my free copy of The Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers — available Oct 8!
» READ IF YOU LIKED «
🪶 Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
🌊 The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs
🐍 A Snake Falls To Earth by Darcie Little Badger
» SYNOPSIS «
It’s 2052 and Stevie is going about her life as usual, working in the gift shop of an art museum, when she stumbles into a friendship with a boy who claims to be from the future. Is he nuts? But what he’s saying about the future is dire, so Stevie will either have to trust him or watch the world around her burn, along with her loved ones.
» REVIEW «
This was a FUN and engaging YA story about a Cherokee girl and the lengths she will go to in order to protect the people she loves — including the ones not even born yet. I’d classify this one as dystopian sci-fi, as it’s set in the future and includes time travel and a little mind-bending. It’s really unique, especially all the tiny details about the future world and how things work!
The pacing is a little unbalanced, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story overall. This is firmly a Young Adult read, so be mindful of that if you’re expecting Angeline Boulley’s more mature/New Adult vibes. The fierce love Stevie has for her family and friends is infectious and memorable, and I won’t be forgetting her story any time soon.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
» READ IF YOU LIKED «
🪶 Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
🌊 The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs
🐍 A Snake Falls To Earth by Darcie Little Badger
» SYNOPSIS «
It’s 2052 and Stevie is going about her life as usual, working in the gift shop of an art museum, when she stumbles into a friendship with a boy who claims to be from the future. Is he nuts? But what he’s saying about the future is dire, so Stevie will either have to trust him or watch the world around her burn, along with her loved ones.
» REVIEW «
This was a FUN and engaging YA story about a Cherokee girl and the lengths she will go to in order to protect the people she loves — including the ones not even born yet. I’d classify this one as dystopian sci-fi, as it’s set in the future and includes time travel and a little mind-bending. It’s really unique, especially all the tiny details about the future world and how things work!
The pacing is a little unbalanced, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story overall. This is firmly a Young Adult read, so be mindful of that if you’re expecting Angeline Boulley’s more mature/New Adult vibes. The fierce love Stevie has for her family and friends is infectious and memorable, and I won’t be forgetting her story any time soon.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 11, 2024
It's 2052, and Stevie Henry, a young Cherokee woman working at a museum in Texas, is saving every dollar for college. The world around her is caught in cycles of drought and superstorms, ice and fire...but people find ways to survive. Until now.
When a mysterious boy arrives at Stevie's museum, claiming he’s from the future and warning her of what’s coming, she dismisses him as a fraud. But soon, events will force her to confront a truth she can no longer ignore.
This was a fresh perspective of a climate/apocalyptic novel written by an Indigenous author. The book raises compelling questions about which art deserves to be saved and what part museums might play in cultural survival or restoration after disaster, even as it challenges museums' roles in today’s colonial systems. The book introduces these ideas in a way that’s both accessible and impactful for young readers. I quickly felt connected to the characters, especially the friendship between Jess, Loren & Stevie. The sense of community provided a comforting anchor amid a rapidly collapsing world. I loved the slow burn romance with the boy from another time era. I read this in one sitting and look forward to reading more by this author.
When a mysterious boy arrives at Stevie's museum, claiming he’s from the future and warning her of what’s coming, she dismisses him as a fraud. But soon, events will force her to confront a truth she can no longer ignore.
This was a fresh perspective of a climate/apocalyptic novel written by an Indigenous author. The book raises compelling questions about which art deserves to be saved and what part museums might play in cultural survival or restoration after disaster, even as it challenges museums' roles in today’s colonial systems. The book introduces these ideas in a way that’s both accessible and impactful for young readers. I quickly felt connected to the characters, especially the friendship between Jess, Loren & Stevie. The sense of community provided a comforting anchor amid a rapidly collapsing world. I loved the slow burn romance with the boy from another time era. I read this in one sitting and look forward to reading more by this author.
October 9, 2024
THE ART THIEVES by Andrea L. Rogers is excellent. Within the first few pages, I was hooked and stayed up way too late each night until I finished the book. Main character Stevie, her friends, her parents, and Angel--the new guy at the museum--are all well-developed and complex. The threads of connection Rogers weaves between all the characters is so strong and Stevie is such a strong center. Her deep attachment to her community, in Texas, Oklahoma and even beyond, feels so real. As the present and future become more tenuous, it's so genuine that Stevie takes time to eat with people, joining them in community and showing deep reverence for her elders.
This emotional core makes all the other aspects of this novel feel rooted no matter how much time is bent or other aspects of Cherokee Futurism drive the narrative. Nothing felt out of the realm of possibility. I really fell in love with. Cherokee Futurism and hope to read more of it, especially if it's written by this author. Please consider me mega fan of Andrea L. Rogers.
Rather than risk giving anything away in my review, I'll conclude with this: Read. This. Book.
This emotional core makes all the other aspects of this novel feel rooted no matter how much time is bent or other aspects of Cherokee Futurism drive the narrative. Nothing felt out of the realm of possibility. I really fell in love with. Cherokee Futurism and hope to read more of it, especially if it's written by this author. Please consider me mega fan of Andrea L. Rogers.
Rather than risk giving anything away in my review, I'll conclude with this: Read. This. Book.
July 20, 2024
"Not that you could run out of love. Yet, I wanted to be someone's first thought"
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
It took me a while to finish this book, not because I didn't like it, but simply because I am a mood reader... I was going through a phase of only wanting to read fantasy books, and I wanted to give this book a fair chance.
This novel offers a fascinating glimpse into a future shaped by climate change and its long-term impacts on people's lives. One striking moment for me was when Stevie noticed the absence of birdsong, highlighting a silence due to the environmental changes.
Another aspect I found captivating was the continuous intertwining of Native communities and their languages, along with the unique presence of emails throughtout the book, which provided an interesting perspective.
This is one of those books that makes you wonder: if I had the chance to know the future, what would I do? Who would I save? And what pieces of art must be preserved?
~ 4 ⭐️
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
It took me a while to finish this book, not because I didn't like it, but simply because I am a mood reader... I was going through a phase of only wanting to read fantasy books, and I wanted to give this book a fair chance.
This novel offers a fascinating glimpse into a future shaped by climate change and its long-term impacts on people's lives. One striking moment for me was when Stevie noticed the absence of birdsong, highlighting a silence due to the environmental changes.
Another aspect I found captivating was the continuous intertwining of Native communities and their languages, along with the unique presence of emails throughtout the book, which provided an interesting perspective.
This is one of those books that makes you wonder: if I had the chance to know the future, what would I do? Who would I save? And what pieces of art must be preserved?
~ 4 ⭐️
October 4, 2024
Book Review: The Art Thieves
The book is set in an apocalyptic world where natural disasters and extreme weather is the norm. Other than that, things are pretty normal for Stevie , until a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future -- and telling her what is to come -- she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.
The book is structured into two parts: Side A and Side B, like a vinyl record and each chapter is named after a song. This was really unique and added to the story experience in a subtle but meaningful way.
The pacing is ready and @andrealrogers does a great job with the pacing of the novel. We get to know a lot about Stevie and the relationships around her before diving head first into the action. I was sucked in from the first page.
Features a Cherokee/ Indigenous main character, time travel and dystopian future.
The book is set in an apocalyptic world where natural disasters and extreme weather is the norm. Other than that, things are pretty normal for Stevie , until a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future -- and telling her what is to come -- she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.
The book is structured into two parts: Side A and Side B, like a vinyl record and each chapter is named after a song. This was really unique and added to the story experience in a subtle but meaningful way.
The pacing is ready and @andrealrogers does a great job with the pacing of the novel. We get to know a lot about Stevie and the relationships around her before diving head first into the action. I was sucked in from the first page.
Features a Cherokee/ Indigenous main character, time travel and dystopian future.
June 16, 2024
Incredible. This book is dripping with love, deep sibling love, the love for your friends, romantic love for all time, the love of community and heritage, love for the land we live on and all of her beings.
This is a story written with ultimately the love and hope that what has been done can be healed. The act of Healing, loving, it’s all so brutal and beautiful.
While we cannot change the past, maybe we could change the future and thus right wrongs that should never have happened in the first place.
Perfectly written for the YA reader with lots of great reading suggestions and music tucked within her pages too.
A better review to come after I sit with it for a bit. Just an outstanding novel I can't wait for others to read.
This is a story written with ultimately the love and hope that what has been done can be healed. The act of Healing, loving, it’s all so brutal and beautiful.
While we cannot change the past, maybe we could change the future and thus right wrongs that should never have happened in the first place.
Perfectly written for the YA reader with lots of great reading suggestions and music tucked within her pages too.
A better review to come after I sit with it for a bit. Just an outstanding novel I can't wait for others to read.
June 22, 2024
Stevie loves to look at The Ladder, whenever their shift allows, they are in the room it calls home, drawing it. Stevie’s little brother Levi is her whole world, alongside her parents, best friends Jess and Loren, and her aunties. But when Adam join the museum as an artist intern, Stevie’s world expands, even as it collapses.
Set in a future impacted by ecological collapse, pandemics, and war, The Art Thieves is heavily inspired by the Afrofuturism movement. Andrea Rogers adapts the movement for her own Cherokee culture with great success. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Afrofuturism, sci-fi stories, and stories of climate change.
Content warning for sexual assault and pedophilia.
Thank you to Levine Querido for the ARC!
Set in a future impacted by ecological collapse, pandemics, and war, The Art Thieves is heavily inspired by the Afrofuturism movement. Andrea Rogers adapts the movement for her own Cherokee culture with great success. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Afrofuturism, sci-fi stories, and stories of climate change.
Content warning for sexual assault and pedophilia.
Thank you to Levine Querido for the ARC!
October 5, 2024
One of my favorite quotes has been "𝚆𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚜, 𝚠𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚗."
No book has captured the meaning behind this quote nearly as well as it should have until now.
While reading 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚜 I felt totally immersed and emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys. The characters were interesting, loveable, and well-rounded.
Rogers adapts the dystopian genre to an Indigenous perspective.
The world in which The Art Thieves takes place is very well fleshed out. There are little bits and pieces of world-building that are inconspicuously woven into the text, which really help the world feel real.
You can read my full review on our blog, plus check out the Spotify playlist created specifically for The Art Thieves.
No book has captured the meaning behind this quote nearly as well as it should have until now.
While reading 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚜 I felt totally immersed and emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys. The characters were interesting, loveable, and well-rounded.
Rogers adapts the dystopian genre to an Indigenous perspective.
The world in which The Art Thieves takes place is very well fleshed out. There are little bits and pieces of world-building that are inconspicuously woven into the text, which really help the world feel real.
You can read my full review on our blog, plus check out the Spotify playlist created specifically for The Art Thieves.
October 8, 2024
Another amazing book from Andrea Rogers. We follow the life of a young photographer, Stevie, who recently graduated from high school and now works for an art museum. Everything in her life takes a quick turn when a young man, Adam, shows up. Once they build a relationship, she begins losing close friends and has a few close calls. She starts to question everything. Adam makes a big reveal on why he’s there and where he comes from. They work together to save what they can for the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
This is such an interesting sci-fi, time travel, futuristic story, grounded in its characters. So much of Cherokee culture is imbedded into this story, and though it starts out slow, there are plot twists throughout that will definitely keep you hooked. The main focus is on community and relationships as the world starts to fall apart around them. If you like sci-fi, apocalyptic stories, definitely check this one out!
October 18, 2024
Lots of great nods to other great musicians and authors in this story about the power of art to connect us and what society should save when time travel is possible. I enjoyed the aspect of the sovereign nations as being the safe haven during the apocalypse as members of those groups unite during tragedy while the rest of us would just lookout for ourselves.
November 19, 2024
This book was all over the place for me. Felt slow and repetitive in the beginning then suddenly it's apocalypse and no explanation or reasons why people are leaving, on edge. And it felt kind of preachy and trying so hard to tackle so many issues- climate change, trans rights, allergy awareness, environmentalism, colonialism.
June 30, 2024
The first half of this novel is very slow and then suddenly it becomes dystopian. The end of the world as we know it, love that is not limited by time as we know it.
A little bit of Cherokee history, art and culture, a bit of climate change, a bit of racism, a bit of prepperism.
A little bit of Cherokee history, art and culture, a bit of climate change, a bit of racism, a bit of prepperism.
Read
October 6, 2024I'm not overly familiar with Afrofuturism or Cherokee literature, but this book made me want to read more of both. Full review to come.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2024
The appeal is broad - time travel, art and culture, honoring family and generational dynamics, romance, mystery and adventure - basically it's all here and it's centered in a Cherokee character.
November 2, 2024
Nmmm
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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