Book: Heist Society (Heist Society, #1)

Heist Society (Heist Society, #1)Heist Society by Ally Carter

Publisher: Hyperion
Publish Date: February 9, 2010
Series: Heist Society
ISBN: 1423116399
ISBN-13: 9781423116394

Synopsis: When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat’s friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster’s art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My good friends, Christine and Caitlin over at whatchYAreadin? suggested that I read Heist Society. And because I trust their opinions about books, I decided to follow it.

When I went to the library last week, Heist Society was facing out on a bookshelf, screaming my name. So what does every good book nerd do? I checked it out.

First of all, let’s talk about the cover. The cover has a girl who looks very Audrey Hepburn a la Breakfast at Tiffany’s. With knowing the synopsis of the book, well I was definitely intrigued.

Carter tells the story of Katarina, Kat, Bishop. Kat is young at fifteen, trying to find herself in this large world, attempting to step away from the family business. Did I mention that her family business is thievery? She has enrolled herself into Colgan School, an all boy’s elite private school that has opened their doors to females. Kat is the first, and with being accused of stealing the dean’s car and expulsion, she may also be the last. Kat may be a thief, but she’s not a petty thief.

Enter Hale. Excuse me, I meant W. W. Hale the fifth. Hale has framed Kat, resulting in expulsion, to bring her back to the business that she was trying to get away from. Hale explains the nature and urgency of going back to the thief life – to save her father from one of the most dangerous men out there, Arturo Taccone. Taccone is accusing Kat’s father of stealing priceless paintings from his own collection. This misunderstanding, added to a few complications, leaves the job to Kat.

Did I say a few complications? Because I really meant many, multiple, tons, A LOT. With the help of Hale, Kat has built an unconventional society. Kat is a strong character and an interesting female lead. Kat is complex, brilliant, and also your average fifteen year old. She is like a puzzle that I want to figure out. She’s a thief, but she has these morals. One thing is for sure, she is very loyal. It’s mind-boggling to try to imagine how Carter came up with this character.

Let’s talk about Hale for a minute. He was also born into a not so normal family. Where Kat is used to a cunning life of stealing and stealth, Hale was born into a life of riches and luxury. Hale is a good balance to Kat’s character. He may have been introduced into the life of thieving through Kat, but there is a great moral compass on him. Besides, he is Kat’s knight in shining armor, which always adds an extra point to the dreamy male lead factor.

Carter does a fantastic job pacing the story progression as well as the character development. Carter takes you through different parts of the world, following Kat on this world adventure. I felt the thrill of the chase of the clues, fearing for Kat’s life when something would go amiss. I thought it was similar to the excitement that I got when I was watching Ocean’s Eleven, except a young adult version.

I loved this story so much that I went out and bought the sequel, Uncommon Criminals, the next day. My review on that will be posted soon.

I definitely suggest this book. If you love adventure, world travel, and a touching young romance, this is the book for you.

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